Prime Highlights:
- Nineteen of the UK’s leading financial firms have joined forces to launch the UK Retail Investment Campaign, aimed at helping beginners take their first steps into investing.
- The campaign will provide guidance and supportto make investing easier and boost financial confidence among the public.
Key Facts:
- The initiative will launch in April 2026and is funded by the participating banks, investment managers, and trading platforms.
- Research from the FCAshows that 54% of adults with savings have never invested beyond pensions, mainly due to fear of losing money (34%) or lack of knowledge (29%).
Background:
Nineteen of the UK’s top financial firms are launching the UK Retail Investment Campaign to help more people start investing. The industry-funded programme is scheduled to go live in April 2026.
Bringing together banks, investment platforms, wealth managers, and investment trusts, the campaign seeks to raise awareness about the role investing can play in improving long-term financial well-being and strengthening the broader economy.
The move follows findings from the Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Lives Survey, which revealed that 54% of non-advised adults with sizeable cash savings, but no investments beyond pensions, had never considered investing. Concerns about losing money (34%) and a lack of knowledge or support (29%) were identified as key barriers.
To address these challenges, the campaign promises clear guidance and practical tools designed to help individuals decide whether investing is right for them and build confidence in the process.
The initiative has the backing of His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). The Investment Association (IA) will act as Secretariat.
Economic Secretary Lucy Rigby KC MP welcomed the collaboration, saying the campaign will help more people benefit from long-term investing while supporting the capital needed for economic growth.
Sasha Wiggins, chair of the campaign and chief executive of Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, said the initiative aims to make investing more accessible at a time when UK retail investment levels lag behind other G7 countries.
Chris Cummings, chief executive of the IA and deputy chair of the campaign, added that many people continue to believe investing “is not for someone like me”, despite the long-term advantages it can offer. He emphasised that the multi-year effort aims to shift perceptions and encourage more people to invest in their futures.
Creative delivery for the campaign will be led by M&C Saatchi alongside media agency the7stars.