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MoneySuperMarket says people in the UK reported having £725.15 left each month after bills, housing and other essential spending, £175.76 less than in October 2025. Its survey also found reported after-tax monthly income fell faster than reported outgoings; the figures describe survey responses, not a measure of every household’s finances.
People in the UK reported having an average of £725.15 left each month after bills, housing costs and other essential spending, £175.76 less than in October 2025, according to a MoneySuperMarket survey. The findings point to pressure on household budgets as reported incomes have fallen faster than outgoings, although the figures are survey averages rather than a direct record of every household’s finances.
MoneySuperMarket said respondents reported average monthly spending of £1,477.85 across 31 household bills and everyday outgoings. That was below the £1,657.67 reported in October 2025 and the £1,533.80 reported in 2024. But average reported monthly income after tax also fell, to £2,203 from £2,558.58 in October 2025, a drop of £355.58. The company said that left less money remaining after costs despite the lower spending figure.
The survey found household bills and everyday expenses took up 67 per cent of reported income, compared with 65 per cent a year earlier. In the three months from July to October 2026, reported outgoings rose by £23.31, while reported after-tax income increased by £2.50. MoneySuperMarket calculated that respondents therefore had £20.81 less left after costs over that period.
The findings come amid rising costs for essentials, including food and energy, and pay growth that has only slightly outpaced inflation in the figures cited by the source. Average wages rose by 3.7 per cent over the year, against inflation of 3.5 per cent. The source also reports that income tax thresholds were left frozen at £12,570 in the Budget it describes, meaning some people may pay tax or move into a higher band as their incomes rise.
Less Room in Monthly Budgets
The reported fall in money left after essentials matters because it can reduce households’ capacity to manage unexpected bills, save, or spend on non-essential goods and services. MoneySuperMarket’s figures suggest that, for respondents, income has weakened more sharply than spending has eased. The survey does not establish that every household has lost the same amount, but it offers a snapshot of how respondents say their finances have changed.
Some respondents appear to be adjusting discretionary spending. MoneySuperMarket said people were cutting back on subscriptions, streaming services, gaming and gym memberships. These reported choices show how budget pressure can extend beyond utility bills and groceries into ordinary leisure spending.
The findings also point to differences between places. London had the highest reported monthly outgoings among the cities measured, at £1,703.60, but also the highest remaining sum, £898.90, alongside higher reported incomes. Norwich respondents had the least left, £428.43, and spent 77 per cent of reported income on bills and outgoings. The figures underline that spending totals alone do not show how financially stretched residents may feel.
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Survey Figures and Other Forecasts
MoneySuperMarket’s Household Money Index figures were based on a recent survey of 8,000 adults across the UK, conducted by Opinium. The company asked respondents about income and spending across 31 categories of bills and everyday costs. The results are self-reported and provide averages; the source material does not give detailed information about how the sample was weighted or how the £725.15 figure was calculated from individual responses.
The source also cites separate estimates about household finances. The Resolution Foundation forecast that typical working-age households’ disposable income could fall by £1,050, or 3 per cent, between then and 2029. That is a projection from a think-tank, not a finding from the MoneySuperMarket survey. Helen Miller, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, described the outlook for households as “depressing” and said the decade was set to be the worst on record for household income growth. Those comments are assessments, not official measurements of the survey’s results.
A separate Asda Income Tracker, produced for the supermarket by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, put average weekly discretionary household spending power at £262 in July to September 2026. The source says this was £2.61 above the previous quarter and £9.34 above the same quarter of 2025, while also reporting a particular squeeze on lower- and middle-income households. Its measure and period differ from MoneySuperMarket’s monthly survey, so the two figures should not be treated as direct comparisons.
““Depressing””
— Helen Miller, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies
Limits of the Household Survey
The £175.76 change is a comparison between survey-reported averages, not a tracked change for the same individuals or households. The source material does not provide the October 2025 sample size, detailed survey methodology, or a breakdown showing how much of the reported change came from particular bills, food prices, income changes or changes in respondents.
The article links pressure on household budgets to rising food and energy costs and wider inflation, and refers to the war in Iran as a factor. The material provided does not quantify how much each factor contributed. It also does not establish whether the £725.15 average reflects the experience of different income groups equally. MoneySuperMarket’s city comparisons are reported averages, not a guarantee of what a typical resident in each place has available.
The source’s final discussion of the Asda tracker is incomplete: it begins to describe changes for households in the middle-income group but does not provide the full figures. That specific comparison cannot be reported from the material available.
Tracking Bills, Pay and Tax
The figures offer a snapshot rather than a forecast. The next useful indicators will be updated household spending and income data, alongside measures of inflation and wage growth, which can show whether the gap between earnings and essential costs is widening or easing. Further MoneySuperMarket survey releases could clarify whether respondents’ reported monthly balances continue to fall.
For households, the immediate pressure described in the report will depend on how bills, food prices and take-home pay change. Frozen income tax thresholds are also relevant as incomes rise, but the source material does not quantify their effect on the survey’s average balance. No further policy measure or publication date is specified in the material provided.
Key Questions
How much less money do people report having left each month?
MoneySuperMarket reported an average of £175.76 less left after costs than respondents reported in October 2025. The latest reported average was £725.15 a month.
What costs did the survey include?
The index covered 31 household bills and everyday outgoings. The source describes the remaining sum as money left after bills, housing costs and other essential spending.
How was the MoneySuperMarket data collected?
The figures came from a recent survey of 8,000 UK adults conducted by Opinium. They are self-reported averages, not a record of every household’s actual finances.
Which city had the least money left after costs?
Among the cities measured, Norwich had the lowest reported amount remaining, at £428.43 a month. Respondents there reported spending 77 per cent of their income on bills and outgoings.
Does the £176 figure mean every household is worse off by that amount?
No. It is the change in an average reported by survey respondents between two periods. The source does not say that the same households were followed over time or that every household experienced the same change.
Source: thisismoney.co.uk
