Britain encouraged to ‘Take The Next Step’ as a new national investing drive launches

• Multi-year industry backed campaign featuring ‘Savvy the Squirrel’ launches across the UK
• New research shows 10.1 million savers are interested in learning more about investing¹
• Campaign takes to the streets of Manchester to get the nation talking about investing  

23 April 2026, London – A major new nationwide campaign to transform how Britain thinks about investing has launched across the UK today aiming to make investing feel more relevant, more accessible and something millions more people can see themselves doing.

Backed by 20 of the UK’s leading financial services firms with support from HM Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Money and Pensions Service, the ‘Invest for the Future’ campaign, announced by the Chancellor as part of the Leeds Reforms, is the first coordinated industry wide effort to drive a step change in how investing is understood, discussed and adopted.

The launch comes as new research shows strong untapped demand. 44% of people with savings but no investments – some 10.1 million people - say they want to learn more.

A national opportunity to change behaviour

Despite the UK’s strong savings culture, too few people are investing for the future.

Research by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that around 7 million adults hold over £10,000 in cash savings and could be missing out on the benefits of investing.² While maintaining a savings buffer is important, excess savings may not keep pace with inflation and dent people’s ability to achieve their long-term financial goals over time - be it a more comfortable retirement or moving up or onto the housing ladder.

Looking back over the last 20 years, research from Barclays shows that after taking account of interest earned, inflation and investment fees cash would have reduced in value by 40.5% while an illustrative diversified investment portfolio of UK assets would have gone up 21.6%.³ In real terms that means £1,000 in cash savings would now be worth £595 compared to £1,216 invested.

The campaign aims to help shift long-standing perceptions and support more people in seeing investing as something for them. At its heart is a simple idea: investing can be the natural next step from saving. By breaking financial goals down into achievable steps, the campaign positions investing as a progression rather than a leap - helping people build confidence over time.

A multi-year campaign featuring Savvy the Squirrel

Bringing this to life is Savvy the Squirrel, a distinctive and relatable character inspired by the familiar idea of ‘squirrelling money away’. Representing someone who has already taken that next step, Savvy offers a calm, long-term view of money and helps make investing easier to engage with, a topic that can often feel complex or intimidating.

The campaign will roll out in phases, starting with digital and social channels, supported by outdoor media and a dedicated microsite with simple, practical information, and from Autumn 2026, it will expand into TV. Each channel plays a distinct role, working together to move audiences along a clear journey, from not seeing themselves as investors to feeling ready to take the next step.

Turning interest into everyday conversations

As part of this nationwide push, the campaign will take Savvy to the streets across the UK - creating more opportunities for everyday conversations about investing in everyday settings.

New research highlights that over a third (37%) of savers would be more likely to invest after a conversation with someone they know. While 7 in 10 investors (71%) say they would recommend it, conversations about investing remain relatively uncommon - with 69% of people saying they rarely or never talk about it.

The campaign is designed to unlock that opportunity connecting the 10.1 million savers interested in doing more with their money with those who have already taken the step to invest, and making those conversations more visible and more accessible.

This begins in Manchester this week, with a fleet of taxis transformed into ‘Savvy Cabs’ - offering passengers free journeys in exchange for taking part in informal conversations about money and investing. Inside each cab, a financial content creator and a real-life investor will share their experiences with members of the public, discussing how they got started, what they invest for and what helped them take their first step.

Each Savvy Cab is wrapped in the campaign’s creative, featuring Savvy the Squirrel, ensuring strong visibility across the city. QR codes inside the taxis link directly to films of real conversations between financial creators and everyday investors – giving passengers the chance to join the conversation themselves.

Savvy Cabs is the first public activation in a long-term campaign that will roll out across the UK in the months ahead, including Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Norwich and Glasgow.

By making investing a more visible and normal topic of conversation between friends, families, colleagues and communities, the campaign seeks to address the barrier that 74% of savers feel investing is a big step to take. 

Sasha Wiggins, Chair of the Retail Investing Campaign and CEO, Private Bank and Wealth Management at Barclays, said: 

“The UK has a strong savings culture but a significant investing gap with too many still feeling investing is not for them. This landmark campaign is about breaking down those barriers by giving people that can invest the confidence, knowledge and real-life examples to take the next step so they can meet their long-term goals.  

“At a time of uncertainty, having a solid savings buffer is essential but good money management is also about thinking ahead and giving your money the chance to grow. With more than 6 in 10 current investors saying they wished they’d started earlier, the key lesson is that time in the market, not timing the market, matters.”

Chris Cummings, Chief Executive of the Investment Association and Deputy Chair of the Retail Investing Campaign, said: 

“There is clear demand from millions of savers who want to do more with their money, but do not always feel confident about where to begin. This campaign is about supporting them with straightforward information and helping them understand how investing works in practice.

“Sitting alongside a range of reforms and initiatives, this is a significant opportunity to shift the UK towards a more confident, long-term investing culture.  By improving understanding and encouraging more open conversations, we want more people to feel that investing is relevant to them and to take the next step when it is right for their circumstances.”

Emma Crystal, CEO, Private Banking & Wealth Management, NatWest Group, said:

“Thinking about investing alongside saving is increasingly shaping the broader discussion about long‑term financial security. Saving remains an important way to build confidence and resilience, particularly in the earlier stages of financial planning, while investing can play a complementary role as longer‑term goals come into focus.

“The ‘Invest for the Future’ campaign is about building a clearer understanding of how saving and investing work together over time, helping choices feel informed and proportionate. By using straightforward, practical information and everyday examples, the campaign supports confident decision‑making and allows individuals to explore their options at a pace that feels right for them.”

Richard Flint, CEO of Hargreaves Lansdown, said:

“Too many people in Britain feel that investing isn’t for them. This campaign is about building confidence and awareness, so more people feel able to take that first step and make their money work harder for them. People won’t change their behaviour overnight, but through creating an engaging and simple campaign to answer people’s questions, we hope that a traditionally dry subject will become more accessible and real. As the UK’s largest and longest standing retail investment platform, we’re proud to play our part, working with others to help create a nation of retail investors.”  

Sarah Pritchard, Deputy Chief Executive of the FCA, said:

“We want consumers to navigate their financial lives with confidence and invest for the future. This campaign is an important part of that, building the stronger investment culture we need. It sits alongside our targeted support rules which will help millions make informed decisions about their finances.”

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Notes to Editors

1. Opinium research amongst 4,000 UK adults, 7th – 12th April 2026
2. 2024 FCA Financial Lives Survey.
3. Barclays, ‘The missed opportunity of not investing’, April 2026

The founding member firms, in alphabetical order are:

*Gold sponsors 

• Alliance Witan
• Aviva
• Barclays*
• Fidelity International
• Hargreaves Lansdown*
• HSBC UK
• The Investment Association                                                                                                                        
• Janus Henderson Investment Trusts                                                                                                        
• J.P. Morgan Personal Investing
• Jupiter Asset Management
• L&G
• Lloyds Banking Group
• London Stock Exchange
• NatWest Group*
• Quilter
• Robinhood UK
• Schroders
• St. James’s Place
• Vanguard
• Xtrackers by DWS