The amount UK savers are investing when they first open an Individual Savings Account (ISA) has risen sharply, with new data from Scottish Friendly revealing an 84% year-on-year increase.
According to the mutual’s proprietary figures, ISA opening values have been climbing steadily over the past year. Data from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026 alone shows a 21% rise, highlighting growing confidence among investors despite ongoing economic uncertainty.
The increase is even more pronounced among female investors, whose opening contributions have jumped by 96% year-on-year and 25% quarter-on-quarter. By comparison, male investors recorded a 75% annual increase in opening values.
The trend comes as UK inflation has eased from above 3.3% to 2.8%, while major UK and US stock market indices have remained close to record highs throughout 2026. This combination of moderating inflation and strong market performance appears to be encouraging more households to commit larger sums to long-term investments.
Kevin Brown, savings specialist at Scottish Friendly, said the data points to a shift in how people are approaching their finances.
“It’s encouraging to see that those who can put money away are putting away significantly more in 2026 than they did in 2025,” he said.
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“While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why that may be, there are several broader trends that could be playing a part. Over the course of 2025, inflationary pressures were seemingly easing. But, as we have seen in the first half of 2026, global instability is putting rising living costs firmly back on everyone’s agenda. In the same breath key global investment indices have been in and around all-time highs.
“Given that context, perhaps many households are taking a long-term approach and seeking to protect the purchasing power of their money by choosing to invest what they can. Our hope is that this is evidence of a growing understanding across the UK of the key role investing plays in securing long-term financial resilience.”
The figures suggest that, while economic pressures remain, a growing number of savers are prioritising investment as a way to safeguard their finances against future uncertainty.
