The UK’s gender wealth gap has surged over the past year, with women’s average financial assets falling by more than £34,000 while men’s wealth continues to grow, new research from Handelsbanken Wealth has revealed.
The findings showed average financial assets held by women have fallen from £177,019 to £142,228 – a drop of almost 20% – in just 12 months. In contrast, men’s average wealth has increased from £217,988 to £224,928.
The 2026 Wealth Survey found women are also less confident about investing and far less likely to be responsible for the financial decisions that build wealth over time.
More than half (56%) of men say they understand investments well, compared with just 34% of women. Women are also 50% more likely to feel apprehensive about making investment decisions, with 39% admitting they feel nervous, versus 26% of men.
Handelsbanken Wealth said these gaps in confidence are mirrored in who takes charge of long-term financial planning within households. Nearly half (46%) of men say they are responsible for their pension, compared with 33% of women, while 42% of men oversee investment decisions versus 23% of women.
However, the study found access to professional financial advice can play an important role in building long-term wealth by helping individuals make more informed decisions around investing, pensions and financial planning.
Men were shown to be more likely to seek support from advisers than women (22% versus 17%) and government-backed sources, while women are more likely to rely on family members (31% versus 24%) and friends (19% versus 17%) for financial guidance.
Stephen Cowling, head of wealth at Handelsbanken, said: “Seeing women’s average financial assets fall by more than £34,000 in a single year, while men’s wealth continues to grow, highlights just how fragile financial progress can be.
“As well as reporting lower wealth, women also continue to report lower levels of investment knowledge and confidence and are significantly less likely to be responsible for pensions and investment decisions. Missing out on those conversations and decisions over many years can have a profound impact on long-term wealth.
“Closing the wealth gap will require more than narrowing the pay gap. It means improving financial confidence, encouraging earlier engagement with investing and pensions, and ensuring more women are empowered to take control of the decisions that shape their financial futures.”
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