Research and analysis

Research supporting Help to Save communications

Mixed-methods research exploring saving behaviours of the population eligible for Help to Save, and how to encourage them to open the account and regularly save.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
18 July 2018

Documents

Research supporting Help to Save communications

Ref: HMRC Research Report 496

PDF, 1.64 MB, 130 pages

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Details

Help to Save is a government-backed digital account designed to encourage and support people on low incomes to build up savings. Help to Save will allow eligible customers to save up to £2,400 and receive a government bonus of up to £1,200 over four years.

The research analyses the saving behaviours of the population eligible for Help to Save, and explores how they can be encouraged to open and regularly save with the account.

The research comprised:

  • a telephone survey with 750 Working Tax Credit (WTC) customers including a segmentation analysis on savings attitudes and behaviour
  • 28 interviews with eligible WTC and Universal Credit customers
  • two discussion groups with eligible customers

The research sought to:

  • understand the demographics of the target population, their savings behaviours and attitudes towards and ability to save
  • understand customers’ motivations and barriers to saving, distinguishing customer segments to help inform effective communication of the scheme
  • understand customers’ digital capabilities, and how this might affect communication design and take up of Help to Save
  • develop recommendations for the design of the communications strategy, and for supporting customers who take up the Help to Save scheme
Published 18 July 2018

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