“Ambition gap” widening as one in four UK adults have no financial aspirations for the next decade

• A growing “ambition gap” is emerging across the UK, with nearly one in four (24%) adults having no financial aspirations for the next decade, up from 17% in July
• One in five adults (21%) have no financial aspirations for the year ahead, an increase from 13% just six months ago 
• Northern Ireland, the North East and Scotland consistently record the highest proportions of people with no financial aspirations 
• Retirement saving remains a clear blind spot for many people’s long-term plans, with just one in ten citing this as a key goal both over the next year and when looking a decade ahead
• Those receiving ongoing financial advice are more than twice as likely to have a financial plan with clear goals and timelines (68% vs 32%)

One in five (21%) – or 11.6 million adults – admit they have no financial aspirations for the year ahead - signalling a widening ambition gap in the UK, according to new research from St. James’s Place (SJP).

The final chapter of SJP’s Real Life Advice Report reveals how sustained cost-of-living pressures and economic uncertainty are eroding people’s confidence in the future, creating apathy towards planning beyond the present.

Ambition gap widening across the UK 
Last month (December 2025), the proportion of adults with no financial aspirations at all for the year ahead had risen sharply to one in five (21%), up from just over one in ten (13%) six months prior in July.  

Concerningly, the same pattern is evident over longer timeframes – one in four (24%) say they have no goals even when looking across the next decade, an increase from one in six (17%) six months earlier.

Apathy is also consistently increasing across generations. Those aged 55 and over are the most likely to report having no financial aspirations, increasing from 25% in July to 36% in December. A similar trend is evident among 35–54 year olds, where the share without financial aspirations doubled from 7% in July to 14% in December. Even among 18–34 year olds this figure has doubled from 3% to 8% over the same period.

James Rainbow, CEO St. James’s Place Wealth Management, said: “Financial pressures are creating an ambition gap, with many people apathetic about financial aspirations and putting long-term goals on the back burner. That erosion of confidence - not just in the immediate future, but even when looking five or ten years ahead - is concerning as the longer people delay, the harder it becomes to achieve the future they expect. This is particularly evident when it comes to retirement, with comfort in later life in more doubt as retirement saving slips down priority lists.

“Our research shows how important advice can be in helping people to broaden their horizons, giving them the means and confidence to look beyond today’s pressures and plan for the future.

Financial aspirations lowest in Northern Ireland, North East and Scotland 
Regional disparities are stark, with Northern Ireland, the North East and Scotland consistently recording the highest proportions of people with no financial aspirations across all time horizons.

Over the next 12 months, around a third of adults in Northern Ireland (33%) and the North East (30%) say they have no financial aspirations, alongside more than a quarter in Scotland (27%), compared with just 10% in London, the lowest of any region.

This pattern persists when people look five years ahead, with the North East (30%) and Northern Ireland (28%) again showing the weakest levels of financial aspiration, while London (14%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (14%) remain the most confident.

By the ten-year horizon, the ambition gap widens further, rising to 37% in Northern Ireland, 35% in the North East and 34% in Scotland. In contrast, London continues to stand apart, with just 14% saying they have no long-term financial aspirations.

Short term saving dominates, with retirement falling further down nation’s priority list 
Of those who do have personal and financial aspirations, short term pressures dominate. Saving more dominates priorities across all timeframes, remaining the top ambition over the next 12 months (40%), five years (31%) and even ten years ahead (22%).

Concerningly, building adequate retirement funds is consistently low on the priority list and has fallen further over the past six months, raising the risk of future financial vulnerability in later life. When asked in July, just 11% prioritised retirement saving over the next year, rising only slightly to 15% when thinking ten years ahead. By December, this figure was even lower, falling to 9% across both time frames.

Advice restores long-term focus
The research also highlights the role professional advice can play in counteracting this trend. Those receiving ongoing financial advice are more than twice as likely to have a financial plan with clear goals and timelines (68% vs 32%), and to prioritise long-term financial ambitions overall (29% vs 12%).

Advised individuals are also more likely to include retirement funding in their outlook. Almost one fifth of those who receive ongoing financial advice (18%) see retirement as a priority over the ten-year time horizon, versus just 13% of those not advised. A similar trend exists over a near-term outlook, with 19% of advised individuals prioritising retirement over the next 12 months compared with 8% of those without advice.

James Rainbow continued: “Having access to the right support at the right time, including new initiatives such as Targeted Support, aimed at tackling the gap between broad financial guidance and personalised advice, can play an important role in helping more people to adopt longer term financial plans and stay focused on their financial future. In an environment where short-term concerns and immediate priorities increasingly dominate, advice will play a critical role in ensuring long-term goals, particularly retirement, are not overlooked.”

St. James’s Place’s Real Life Advice Report examines how advice helps individuals and families across generations to reach their goals and overcome challenges. The report, released in a series of chapters, aims to highlight how financial advice and guidance can benefit everyone, through diverse real-life stories from advisers and clients. 

Notes to Editors
1 - Opinium surveyed 8,000 UK adults between 22nd July and 5th August 2025 and 28th November - 2nd December 2025 among 2,000 UK adults. Quotas and post-weighting were applied to the sample to make the dataset representative of the UK adult population.

What do we mean by financial advice and financial guidance?
We have looked at the impact of all forms of financial advice and guidance. From professional advice received through a financial advice firm or individual including a wealth manager, an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), a qualified financial planner, and advice received through a bank and building society. We have also looked more broadly at understanding the impact of the help people receive through organisations such as Citizen’s Advice, Pension Wise and others.

About St. James’s Place
St. James’s Place (SJP) is a leading UK wealth management organisation. Founded in 1991, SJP was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1997 with over £198.5 billion funds under management. The company provides face-to-face advice to clients based on their individual needs and circumstances, adapting the advice as requirements change over time to ensure that recommendations remain appropriate.