Money – In the news

Recent research* has found that the cost of raising a child has increased by 10% over the last year, with the average UK family spending £223,256 in their offspring’s first 18 years. This works out at over £12,000 a year per child. The research looked at the different costs associated with bringing up children, ranging from essential through to leisure activities.

End to rising wealth

The Resolution Foundation has found that the cost-of-living crisis, coupled with the monetary policy response, has put an end to the trend of rising wealth in the UK. The independent think-tank estimates that the wealth-to-GDP ratio fell to around 650% by early 2023. This is by far the biggest fall on record as a proportion of GDP, wiping out £2.1trn of household net worth in cash terms.

Gender pensions gap

There is still a wide gender pensions gap – recently published government data (for 2018–20) shows a gap between median male and female private pension wealth of 35% overall. The size of the gap varies according to age, with women aged between 45 and 49 seeing a 47% chasm relative to men in the same age group.

^*Moneyfarm, 2023

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.