This year's theme, Count on Your Community, is a powerful reminder that confidence with numbers doesn't grow in isolation. It grows through support, encouragement and the people around us. And nowhere is that community support more urgently needed than when it comes to financial fluency.
Why numbers and money go hand in hand
Numeracy and financial confidence are deeply connected. You can't compare mortgage deals, read a payslip or build a savings habit without being comfortable with numbers. Yet across the UK, millions of people lack confidence in both, and it comes with a cost, quite literally.
Research from Money Ready's flagship Cost of Not Knowing campaign found that the average UK adult loses over £640 every year simply through delayed or misunderstood financial decisions. Over a lifetime, that adds up to more than £18,000 per person. This is money that could have gone towards savings, security or a brighter future.
These aren't reckless mistakes. They're the everyday costs of not having the knowledge, language or confidence to navigate a financial system that nobody taught us about, and trying to do it alone. When communities talk openly about money, share what they know and learn together, those costs can start to shrink.
What is Money Ready's Cost of Not Knowing campaign?
Launched in January 2026, the Cost of Not Knowing is Money Ready's flagship research and advocacy campaign. It's built on a nationwide survey of 3,000 UK adults and sets out, in honest, human terms, the real impact of financial education gaps.
The headline findings are striking:
- £640+ lost per person, per year to financial confusion and indecision
- £18,000+ lost over decades instead of supporting savings, security and opportunity
- 35% of adults say they learned financial skills too late to make the most of them
- 43% believe they could have saved more if they had better budgeting knowledge
- 71% believe the government should do more to ensure people receive financial education
But this campaign isn't about blame. As Money Ready CEO Leon Ward puts it:
"We rely on financial literacy every day, often without realising it. Yet too often, people aren't taught how the system works. We help people learn how to swim, ride a bike or drive a car, yet when it comes to navigating financial products and services, there is little or no training provided.”
The Cost of Not Knowing campaign calls on government, financial services and employers to make financial education a right, not a privilege, embedded at every life stage.
How can you get involved?
The campaign isn't just a report. It's a call to action, and there are practical things you can do right now.
Take the Money Ready MOT quiz: here
The free Money Ready MOT quiz gives you a personalised financial readiness score and tailored learning pathways based on where you are right now. It takes just a few minutes and covers everything from budgeting and saving to credit and long-term planning.
It's not a test. It's a first step designed for everyone, no matter where you're starting from.
Sign the open letter: here
Add your voice to the call for systemic change. Money Ready's open letter urges policymakers to embed financial education across schools, financial services and workplaces, because this is a language for life, not just for school. Every signature counts.
Share it with your community: here
National Numeracy Day's theme is Count on Your Community, and that's exactly what this is about. Share the campaign with friends, family, colleagues and your networks. Start a conversation about money. Download and share the campaign assets. Write to your MP. The more people talking about financial education, the harder it is to ignore.
Explore the Money Ready Learning Hub: here
Whether you want to understand payslips, get to grips with savings, or build confidence around debt and credit, you’ll find free practical resources on the Money Ready Learning Hub to help. No jargon. No judgement. Just knowledge that makes a real difference.
Count on your community, starting today
This National Numeracy Day, we're asking everyone to take one small step. Check your financial readiness. Share a resource. Start a conversation with someone you know. Because financial fluency isn't just a personal win. It strengthens families, workplaces and communities.
The cost of not knowing is higher than it looks. But the good news? It's never too late to learn.
Find out your financial readiness score here.
Photo credit: Kindel Media, Pexels
