Average 50-something owes more than their savings

The average 'squeezed' 50-something has more in debts than savings, a survey has found.

Excluding mortgage debt, the average person aged between 50 and 59 owes £4,641 from borrowing such as credit cards loans and overdrafts, according to the research from Nationwide Financial Planning.

Mortgages aside, debts outweigh savings by more than £100 on averageplaceholder image
Mortgages aside, debts outweigh savings by more than £100 on average

This outweighs the average amount of cash they have put away in savings accounts, at £4,511.

A fifth (20%) of 50-somethings surveyed have no ‘rainy day’ savings at all.

Many people in this age group were found to be supporting two generations. Nearly three in 10 (27%) worry about being able to help their children financially.

Meanwhile, around a quarter (24%) of 50-somethings make sure their own parents get regular visits, while 15% commit to doing their shopping and driving them to appointments.

A quarter said they see their parents more now than they did 10 years ago.

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