The number of people choosing to invest climbed 5% in the last year as confidence in investing soared by 25%.

Data from saving and investing platform Moneybox showed that nearly one third (31%) of UK adults chose to invest last year.

Almost a fifth, 18% of Britons, said they planned to invest more in 2025, with 11% of respondents saying they wanted to start investing.

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Younger investors are leading the charge, with nine out of 10, 87%, of 25-34 year olds saying they feel more confident this year compared to two thirds, 65%, of all UK adults.


Among those who chose to put their money in something other than a regular savings account or a cash ISA last year, two fifths, 44%, were investing for the first time, up from two thirds, 35%, the previous year.

In the last year, more than half, 54%, of 25-34 year olds choose to invest, a 13% increase since 2023. More than a quarter, 26%, said they want to start investing this year and 38% said they aimed to put more of their money into investments.

The appetite for investing among 25-34 year olds has been steadily increasing over recent years, from 18% in 2023, to 22% in 2024 and now 38% for 2025. Of 18-25 year olds, 52% reported that they invested last year, an increase of 23%. 

The primary motivations among those who invested last year were to grow their money and build wealth for the future, to work towards a comfortable retirement and to be in a position to provide for their families in the future, according to the survey.

Brian Byrnes, head of personal finance at Moneybox, said: "It's fantastic to see more people embracing investing and growing in confidence as they take steps to build long-term wealth. However, there’s still much work to be done and the government and the industry continue working to ensure investing becomes a fundamental part of financial planning for everyone, alongside saving.”

He pointed out that almost two-thirds of Britons, 64%, did not invest last year and it remains clear that there are some significant barriers to investing that remain.

A third of respondents cited affordability as the reason they couldn't afford to invest last year. A quarter admitted that they were worried about losing their money and a fifth said they are not confident that they know how to invest. A similar fifth chose not to invest because they were happy with the interest rate available on their cash savings.

Mr Byrnes said: “An over-reliance on cash means many consumers may be missing out on significant opportunities to grow their money. We should make investing easier, more accessible, and less intimidating."