UK Campaign Launched to Lift Retail Equity Investment from G7’s Lowest Levels

The UK Retail Investment Campaign represents a coordinated effort by major financial institutions and government to address long-standing underinvestment by retail savers. According to the Investment Association, 19 firms—including Barclays, JPMorgan Personal Investing, Fidelity, HSBC UK, Vanguard, and others—have committed full funding and will launch the campaign in April 2026. [1] This campaign is explicitly aimed at boosting financial wellbeing by increasing access to information, lowering psychological and educational barriers, and shifting attitudes toward investing for a long-term horizon. [1]

Statistically, the initiative responds to stark evidence: UK adults allocate merely 8% of their non-pension assets to equities and mutual funds—lowest among G7 peers. In contrast, approximately 50% is held in property and about 15% in cash. [3] [4] Related data from the Office for National Statistics shows that total investment in the UK economy (Gross Fixed Capital Formation) was 18.1% of GDP in Q3 2024, placing the UK at the bottom of the G7 in that metric as well. [5]

The roots of this gap are both cultural and structural. Survey data (FCA’s Financial Lives, abrdn’s ‘Savings Ladder’, and the Investment Association/Opinium polling) point to inertia: many non-investors with savings have not considered investing, and only ~1 in 3 think investing is “for someone like me.” [1] [4] Trust, risk aversion, lack of financial literacy, and unclear regulation of wider saving vehicles like ISAs are cited as obstacles. [4]

Key regulatory reforms under the Leeds Reforms agenda dovetail with the campaign. These include tightening ISA cash limits, adjusting risk disclosure standards, easing prospectus rules for investment products, and making personalized rather than generic investment guidance legal. These changes aim to align regulatory incentives with campaign goals of unlocking household capital. [2] [5]

For participating firms, strategic opportunities include product innovation—simpler investment vehicles, digital-first platforms, education services—and capturing portions of the £430 billion in cash savings held by 13 million adults with low investment exposure. [2] [4] However, early withdrawals by firms like AJ Bell, Interactive Investor, and Trading 212 suggest financial and reputational costs are under consideration. [2]

Open questions remain: will the campaign generate measurable changes in asset allocation among savers within its initial years? How will risk mis-selling be managed if firms provide more direct investment messaging? What effects will regulatory changes have on investment product costs, fees, and returns? And how will the campaign balance urgency versus preserving investor protection?