Online and mobile banking 'helping young people to save'

Updated

Four out of five younger savers who use digital banking say it helps them to boost their balances, according to research.

Some 81% of 18 to 24-year-olds using online banking and 82% in that age group who use mobile banking say having quick access to their balance in this way makes it easier for them to put more cash away.

But the survey, from Halifax, also found there was a digital divide of opinion between the younger and older generations.

Less than half (48%) of over-55s who use mobile banking agree that having mobile access to savings makes it easier to save money.

And over half (58%) of online banking users aged over 55 agreed that having this makes it easier to put money away.

Across the survey of more than 5,000 people, two-thirds (67%) of those in Britain generally who use online banking believe that it makes it easier to save money and among mobile banking users 65% say this helps them to boost their balances.

Giles Martin, head of Halifax Savings, said: "This research tells us that online and mobile banking is actually helping a lot of young people to save.

"It's clear that having easy real-time access to their savings balance, whether in their pocket or on their PC, is keeping saving front of mind.

"This is great news if it means that young people are getting into good savings habits early in life, particularly at a time when reaching those key milestones like buying a first car or first home can feel out of reach for many."

The research also found that people in the West Midlands were the most likely to say that using online banking and mobile helps them to save money, with 71% of online banking users and 75% of mobile banking users in the region agreeing.

People in Scotland were the least likely to agree that using online and mobile banking makes it easier to save with 61% of online banking users and 56% of mobile banking users saying it makes saving easier.

In Wales, 65% of online banking users and 60% of mobile banking users said having this digital access makes saving easier.

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