Scam victims suffer a £9.3bn wellbeing impact
Unfortunately, scams continue to be rife. As well as having devasting financial impacts, a study1 has found that scams affect personal wellbeing. By using a model that allows researchers to value changes in wellbeing in monetary terms, the impact of scams on victim wellbeing has been calculated at over £9bn a year – a personal cost of £2,509 for each victim, although the estimated impact for someone hit by online fraud is higher at £3,684. The research suggested scam victims faced a decline in life satisfaction, lower levels of happiness, considerably higher levels of anxiety and in some cases, ill-health.
Is a savings slump looming?
The cost of living is rising, with many savers saying they are rapidly eating into the additional savings they built up during lockdown. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of UK adults say they are worried about rising living costs, with 35% saying they feel more anxious about the future than before the pandemic2. This percentage increases to 42% for 45 to 54-year-olds.
A significant proportion of adults are eating into their lockdown savings fast. In fact, one-fifth say they have already spent their lockdown savings, while a further quarter predict their savings will be gone before the year is out.
As normal life returns, the balancing act between spending and saving, particularly for those approaching retirement, is becoming ever more delicate. Although you’re unlikely to save the same amounts now as you were in lockdown, don’t despair as small amounts of savings each month can soon add up.
1Which?, 2021
2Aviva, 2021
The value of investments and income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested. A pension is a long-term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down. Your eventual income may depend on the size of the fund at retirement, future interest rates and tax legislation.