Third of adults 'expect finances to worsen over next 12 months'

A third of adults believe their financial situation will worsen over the next year, a survey has found.

The poll found 32% of respondents aged 18-70 said they expect to be worse off over the next 12 months.

The research also suggested people worry about the long-term future, with 49% saying they do not feel confident they will have enough money to live on when they retire.

Of the 5,019 adults polled, one in four (27%) workers are not currently saving for retirement.

The survey, carried out by YouGov, also found 42% of people would find it difficult to suddenly find £500, for example, to pay an unexpected bill.

The research, published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), found 30% of adults describe themselves as "just about managing", while 18% say they are struggling financially.

CIPD acting chief economist Ian Brinkley said: "The prevalence of financial insecurity shown by these figures make it very likely that almost every workplace will have someone who is struggling financially.

"Our research suggests that financial worries have an adverse effect on employees' health, happiness and productivity, so besides being the right thing to do, it is in employers' interests to invest in providing financial advice, guidance and support to their staff.

"The Government also has a key role to play by ensuring that the education system teaches young people how to apply the numeracy skills they are learning to the real-life personal finance situations they are likely to face."