Three years ago, when UM launched Money Talks in partnership with MoneySuperMarket and the Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm), we set out to understand a question that felt particularly urgent: what happens when financial pressure begins to impact people’s mental wellbeing?

At the time, Britain was reeling from an unprecedented period of disruption. The pandemic had reshaped daily life, inflation and interest rates were climbing at levels not seen for decades, and households were facing constantly increasing bills. Many assumed those pressures would ease and that we were dealing with a short-term shock.

The latest edition of Money Talks suggests something different.

What began as a crisis has become a condition. Financial anxiety is no longer confined to specific demographics or income groups. It’s woven into the fabric of everyday life for millions of people across the UK.

That may be the most important finding from this year’s study.

Now in its third year, Money Talks has become a long-term lens through which we can observe how people are navigating the changing relationship between money, wellbeing and modern life.

Our project has become a key societal resource in understanding the psychological effects of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and we have even presented this research with MoneySuperMarket and Calm at parliament to an audience of MPs and political stakeholders.

This year, we incorporated AI-moderated qualitative interviews, street-level vox pops and a nationally representative survey of 2,500 UK adults, conducted by Dynata, who ran our fieldwork.  

As researchers, we wanted to move beyond simply measuring financial confidence or economic sentiment. We wanted to understand how people experience financial pressure, where they seek support, and how emerging technologies are reshaping those behaviours.

The qualitative stage proved particularly revealing. Using AI-moderated interviews allowed participants to discuss highly sensitive topics anonymously and in their own words. The openness we observed was striking. People spoke candidly about financial stress, shame, anxiety and uncertainty in ways that are often difficult to achieve through more traditional approaches.

That honesty reinforced something we have seen throughout the Money Talks programme: despite the scale of the issue, money remains one of Britain’s most persistent taboos.

We are often reluctant to discuss financial difficulties, even when they are affecting our mental health. Yet the consequences can be profound. One in five people in this year’s research said they had experienced suicidal thoughts where financial worries were a contributing factor. This highlights the serious intersection between financial stress and mental health. It is a statistic that is difficult to read, but impossible to ignore.

Alongside these enduring challenges, the research also revealed emerging behaviours that would have been difficult to imagine even a few years ago. More than half of UK adults surveyed now use influencers as a source of financial information. Among 18 to 34-year-olds, that figure rises to 86%.

At the same time, the research revealed that one quarter of people are already using generative AI for financial guidance. Crucially, people are taking their anxieties to AI because of the surrounding taboo: almost one in five say they have discussed their money worries with an AI platform.

These findings reflect a reality that researchers and brands need to understand. People are seeking information about money and advice in environments that feel accessible, immediate and non-judgemental.

Some respondents reported perceived benefits such as improved budgeting or saving behaviours, although these experiences shouldn’t be interpreted as a substitute for regulated financial advice.

However, there are clear tensions. Most people want stronger regulation of both financial influencers and AI-generated advice. The appetite for these tools exists alongside concern about their accuracy, accountability and potential risks.

For me, that is where the real opportunity for research lies.

As an industry, we often talk about understanding audiences, but understanding audiences means understanding the cultural forces shaping their lives. It means recognising that financial wellbeing is no longer just an economic issue. It is increasingly intertwined with technology, identity, community and mental health.

Perhaps the most hopeful theme emerging from this year’s research is community itself.

When we asked people what helps them navigate difficult periods, many pointed towards the value of shared experiences and support networks. If financial pressure has become more universal, there may also be an opportunity for greater empathy and openness. The challenge is helping people feel able to openly have those conversations.

By shining a light on experiences that are often hidden, uncomfortable or misunderstood, research can do more than measure society. It can help move it forward. And if financial anxiety has become Britain’s new normal, creating space for those conversations has never been more important.

Kim Lambert is group insight director at UM London

• The full research report can be accessed via the MoneySuperMarket or Calm content hubs.