Cost of living | Half of UK workers are living paycheck to paycheck

Nearly half of UK employees (49%) are living paycheck to paycheck, new data suggests.

And according to ADP Research’s People At Work 2025 report, this figure rises to 57% on a global scale, despite global employment reaching a record high in 2024. Additionally, 23% of workers hold two or more jobs, primarily to cover necessary expenses.

The study, which surveyed nearly 38,000 workers across 34 markets, uncovers stark regional disparities and generational divides in the global workforce’s financial resilience.

In the UK, 49% of workers are living paycheck to paycheck, which is higher than France’s average of 43%. In addition, 47% of UK workers with two jobs said it’s to cover necessary expenses.