Savings by Age UK — How Much Should I Have Saved?

Average Net Worth by Age UK 2026 — Complete Wealth Benchmarks

UK net worth benchmarks by age from 20s to 60s. See how your wealth compares with averages and medians, what counts as net worth, and how to build it faster.

· · 5 min read

Savings and investment information is for educational purposes only. The value of investments can go down as well as up. Cash savings up to £85,000 per person per institution are protected by the FSCS.

Net worth is the best single measure of your financial position — it’s everything you own minus everything you owe. Here’s how the UK stacks up by age.

UK Net Worth by Age — Quick Summary

Age groupMedian net worthAverage net worthTop 25% threshold
16-24£5,000£20,000£25,000+
25-34£50,000£95,000£150,000+
35-44£150,000£250,000£350,000+
45-54£215,000£350,000£550,000+
55-64£350,000£500,000£800,000+
65+£350,000-£400,000£450,000-£550,000£750,000+

Based on ONS Wealth and Assets Survey, adjusted for recent property and pension growth.

What Counts as Net Worth?

Include (assets)Include (debts to subtract)
Property value (current market)Mortgage outstanding
Pension pots (all)Student loans
ISA savingsCredit card debt
Savings accountsPersonal loans
InvestmentsCar finance
Business equityOverdrafts
Vehicles (current value)Outstanding bills
Other valuable assetsAny other debts

Simple formula: Net Worth = Total Assets – Total Debts

Net Worth by Age: 20s (Ages 20-29)

MetricAmount
Median£5,000-£15,000
Average£20,000-£40,000
Top 25%£40,000+
Top 10%£100,000+

Typical Breakdown at 25-29

ComponentTypical range
Cash savings£2,000-£10,000
Pension£5,000-£20,000
Property equity£0 (most renting)
Investments£0-£5,000
Total assets£7,000-£35,000
Student loan-£30,000 to -£50,000
Other debt£0-£5,000
Net worth-£30,000 to +£30,000

Many 20-somethings have negative net worth due to student loans — this is normal and recovers quickly once earning.

Net Worth by Age: 30s (Ages 30-39)

MetricEarly 30sLate 30s
Median£40,000-£80,000£100,000-£180,000
Average£80,000-£150,000£180,000-£280,000
Top 25%£150,000+£300,000+
Top 10%£250,000+£450,000+

Typical Breakdown at 30-34

ComponentRentersFirst-time buyers
Cash savings£5,000-£20,000£5,000-£15,000
Pension£20,000-£50,000£20,000-£50,000
Property equity£0£20,000-£80,000
ISA/investments£5,000-£25,000£0-£15,000
Total assets£30,000-£95,000£45,000-£160,000
Student loan-£20,000 to -£40,000-£15,000 to -£35,000
Mortgage£0-£200,000 to -£350,000
Net worth£10,000-£70,000£30,000-£150,000

Typical Breakdown at 35-39

ComponentTypical range
Cash savings£10,000-£30,000
Pension£40,000-£100,000
Property equity£30,000-£150,000
ISA/investments£10,000-£50,000
Total assets£90,000-£330,000
Mortgage remaining-£100,000 to -£300,000
Other debts-£5,000 to -£20,000
Net worth£80,000-£250,000

Net Worth by Age: 40s (Ages 40-49)

MetricEarly 40sLate 40s
Median£150,000-£200,000£200,000-£280,000
Average£250,000-£350,000£350,000-£450,000
Top 25%£400,000+£550,000+
Top 10%£600,000+£800,000+

Typical Breakdown at 45

ComponentBelow medianMedianAbove median
Cash savings£5,000£15,000£40,000+
Pension£50,000£120,000£250,000+
Property equity£30,000£100,000£250,000+
ISA/investments£5,000£25,000£100,000+
Net worth£90,000£260,000£540,000+

Net Worth by Age: 50s (Ages 50-59)

MetricEarly 50sLate 50s
Median£250,000-£320,000£320,000-£400,000
Average£400,000-£500,000£500,000-£600,000
Top 25%£650,000+£800,000+
Top 10%£1,000,000+£1,200,000+

Typical Breakdown at 55

ComponentBelow medianMedianAbove median
Cash savings£10,000£30,000£75,000+
Pension£75,000£180,000£400,000+
Property equity£75,000£175,000£400,000+
ISA/investments£10,000£50,000£150,000+
Net worth£170,000£435,000£850,000+

Net Worth by Age: 60s and Beyond

Metric60-6465+
Median£350,000-£420,000£350,000-£400,000
Average£500,000-£650,000£450,000-£550,000
Top 25%£800,000+£750,000+
Top 10%£1,300,000+£1,200,000+

Net worth often peaks at 60-65 and then slightly declines as pension pots are drawn down.

Property Ownership: The Great Divide

Property is the single biggest differentiator in net worth:

Ownership status at 40Typical net worth impact
Homeowner (no mortgage)+£300,000-£500,000
Homeowner (with mortgage)+£50,000-£200,000 equity
Renter£0 property wealth

Renters can still build wealth — they need to invest the difference between rent and mortgage costs.

Regional Net Worth Differences

RegionMedian net worth vs national average
London+30-50% (property values)
South East+20-30%
South West+10-20%
East of England+10-15%
Scotland-5 to +5%
Wales-10 to -5%
North West-15 to -5%
North East-20 to -10%
Northern Ireland-20 to -15%

Net Worth Percentiles by Age

At Age 30

PercentileNet worth
10th (bottom)-£15,000 (negative)
25th£15,000
50th (median)£50,000
75th£120,000
90th£200,000+

At Age 40

PercentileNet worth
10th (bottom)£10,000
25th£75,000
50th (median)£180,000
75th£350,000
90th£550,000+

At Age 50

PercentileNet worth
10th (bottom)£30,000
25th£120,000
50th (median)£280,000
75th£550,000
90th£950,000+

How to Calculate Your Net Worth

Step 1: List All Assets

AssetYour value
Main property value£_______
Other property£_______
Pension pot(s)£_______
Cash savings£_______
ISA balance£_______
Other investments£_______
Vehicles£_______
Other valuable items£_______
TOTAL ASSETS£_______

Step 2: List All Debts

DebtYour amount
Mortgage£_______
Student loan£_______
Car finance£_______
Credit cards£_______
Personal loans£_______
Overdraft£_______
Other debts£_______
TOTAL DEBTS£_______

Step 3: Calculate

Net Worth = Total Assets – Total Debts

How to Increase Your Net Worth

StrategyImpact
Increase pension contributionsTax-efficient wealth building
Pay down mortgage fasterBuilds equity, reduces interest
Invest in ISATax-free growth
Clear expensive debtStops wealth drain
Avoid lifestyle inflationMore income to assets
Build emergency fundPrevents value-destroying emergencies
Review feesLower investment and pension fees

Net Worth Targets by Age (Goals)

AgeReasonable targetAspirational target
25£10,000£50,000
30£50,000£150,000
35£120,000£300,000
40£200,000£500,000
45£320,000£750,000
50£450,000£1,000,000
55£600,000£1,300,000
60£750,000£1,500,000+

Why Median Matters More Than Average

MeasureUK overall net worth (2022-2024)
Median~£300,000
Average~£530,000

The average is 75% higher than the median because wealth is highly concentrated. A few billionaires massively skew the average upward.

If you have median net worth, you’re doing better than half the population.

Net Worth Building by Life Stage

Life stagePriority actions
20sBuild emergency fund, start pension, clear expensive debt
30sMax pension contributions, save house deposit or invest heavily
40sAccelerate pension, invest in ISA, pay down mortgage
50sFinal pension push, consolidate, plan drawdown
60sPreserve wealth, manage tax-efficient withdrawals

Common Net Worth Mistakes

MistakeImpact
Ignoring pension in calculationsSignificantly underestimate wealth
Including depreciating assets at purchase priceOverestimates wealth
Not tracking annuallyNo visibility on progress
Comparing to average not medianUnrealistic expectations
Forgetting spouse/partner wealthIncomplete picture

Next Steps

  1. Calculate your net worth today — Use the worksheet above
  2. Compare to your age benchmark — Where do you stand?
  3. Set a target — Aim for next percentile up
  4. Create an action plan — Which assets to grow, which debts to clear
  5. Track annually — Review every January

Your net worth is the most important number in your financial life. Track it, grow it, and watch your wealth compound over time.

Sources

  1. ONS — Wealth and Assets Survey 2020-2022
  2. ONS — Total Wealth in Great Britain