A fifth of adults would consider investing ‘little & often’ in 2026

• One in five UK adults (21%) say they are likely to start a small, regular investment of £10 to £50 in 2026.
• Gen Z (41%) and Millennials (33%) most likely to consider investing on a regular basis in 2026.
• Only 22% of adults believe they can start investing with less £50, with over half (54%) saying they are unsure about lowest minimum investment amounts.

This Christmas, a third of UK adults (31%) expect to receive money, including 23% who expect a gift and 11% who expect a bonus from their workplace. Gen Zs (66%) and Millennials (49%) are more likely to expect extra money this holiday season.

Nearly half (48%) of adults said they would be likely to save extra money this Christmas if they received it, compared to a fifth (20%) who say that they would consider investing the money. However, investing is a particularly popular option with Gen Z (40%) and Millennials (33%).

Little and often

One in five UK adults (21%) say they are likely to start a small regular investment of £10 to £50 in 2026. Again, young people are more likely to take the first step and start investing, with more than two in five (41%) Gen Z and a third (33%) of Millennials considering setting up a small, regular investment next year.

However, 41% of UK adults say they are unlikely to set up a small, regular investment next year, despite just 1 in 10 (11%) already investing on a regular basis. Part of the reason behind this reluctance could be that UK adults overestimate how much money they need to start investing. The average amount Britons believe they need to start investing is around £41,300, with those between 18 and 30 overestimating even more, at around £58,000.[1]

The survey showed that only 22% know they can begin investing with less than £50, a feature now offered by many platforms as either an initial lump sum or a regular investment.

Even a small amount invested on a regular basis can make a significant difference to an individual’s long-term financial wellbeing. For example, if you had invested £50 per month into a typical global equity fund over the last five years it would be worth £3,906 today, over £900 more than had the money been kept in cash in their bank account.[2] This does not account for the pernicious effect of inflation, which reduces the value of cash savings over time.

Whilst cash savings remain an important part of financial planning, especially for short-term needs and emergencies, investing has the potential to deliver long-term growth and help individuals grow their purchasing power.

Miranda Seath, Director of Market Insights at the Investment Association, said:

“With many people expecting cash gifts or end-of-year bonuses this Christmas, 2026 could be the year to start a habit of investing. Little and often investments can be a crucial first step towards building long-term savings and financial resilience.

“Our research shows that Gen Z and Millennials are especially interested in starting their investing journey, and with their longer time horizons, they can benefit particularly from setting up a small, regular investment. Historically, just £50 per month invested into a typical global equity fund has grown by over £900 more than if the same amount was kept in cash.

“Potential investors don’t need thousands to start – with as little as £1, anyone can take the first step towards building their financial future. Putting away a small amount of money each month is often a more accessible way to start investing and over time this can grow into a substantial nest egg to support your future goals.”

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

Regional insights

Manchester

• Almost a third (30%) of people in Manchester expect to receive money as a gift this Christmas.
• If they were to receive money this Christmas, those in Manchester are most likely to save it (53%), while less than half would use it to cover the day-to-day cost of living (39%), use it to buy gifts and experiences (37%) or invest it (18%).
• A fifth (20%) of those living in Manchester plan to start a small, regular investment in 2026.

Birmingham

• Just under a quarter (24%) of people in Birmingham expect to receive money as a gift this Christmas.
• If they were to receive money this Christmas, those in Birmingham are most likely to save it (48%), use it to buy gifts and experiences (35%), use it to cover the day-to-day cost of living (34%) and invest it (21%).
• Just over a fifth (22%) of those living in Birmingham plan to start a small, regular investment in 2026.

Edinburgh

• Just under a third (28%) of people in Edinburgh expect to receive money as a gift this Christmas.
• If they were to receive money this Christmas, over half (54%) would save it, 35% would use it to cover the day-to-day cost of living, 29% would use it to buy gift and experiences, and 16% would save it.
• Those living in Edinburgh and London are the biggest savers, with over half (54%) in each city planning to save any money they receive as a gift this Christmas.
• Just under a fifth (18%) of those living in Edinburgh plan to start a small, regular investment in 2026.

London

• Londoners are the most likely to receive money as a gift this Christmas at 39%, compared to the national figure of 31%. People living in London are also the most likely to receive a workplace bonus this Christmas, with 1 in 5 (18%) taking home some extra cash.
• If they were to receive money this Christmas, those living in London would be most likely to save it (54%), use it to cover the day-to-day cost of living (53%), use it to buy gifts and experiences (41%), and a third (32%) would be likely to invest it.
• Those living in Edinburgh and London are the biggest savers, with over half (54%) in each city planning to save any money they receive as a gift this Christmas.
• Those living in London are also the most likely to invest (32%) any money they receive this Christmas.
• Just under a third (30%) of those living in London plan to start a small, regular investment in 2026 – the highest out of any UK region.

 

About the research

In December 2025, the IA partnered with Opinium to survey 2,000 nationally representative adults. The fieldwork took place between 2nd-5th December 2025.