New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Wealth and Assets Survey* has revealed that the largest single component of household wealth is private pension holdings.

In the latest recorded period (April 2018 to March 2020) pensions represented 42% of aggregate wealth, up from 34% (2006-08), an increase in pension wealth of nearly £70k on average for UK households. This growth can be attributed to various factors including more households having private pensions due to auto-enrolment and rising longevity meaning pension savings have increased proportionally. Meanwhile, property wealth (minus mortgage debt) made up 36% of household wealth; financial wealth, or savings or investments, made up 13%; and physical wealth, such as cars and house contents, totalled 9%.

Underlying wealth per household for the latest recorded period was £302,500 at the median or midpoint level, which is up from £286,600 in the previous two years, and up by a fifth over the past 14 years, when adjusted for inflation.

Age inequalities

The data also shows median wealth was highest for households where a member was aged between 55 years and State Pension age; the figure of £553,400 being 25 times higher than for those aged 16-24 years of age. The wealthiest 10% of households held 43% of all the wealth, whereas the bottom 50% held only 9%.

*ONS, 2022

The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated.