Economic Wellbeing Explorer Data Update for July
The Economic Wellbeing Explorer is Smart Data Foundry’s interactive, map-based tool that provides policymakers, economists, service providers, and NGOs with the granular insights they need to tackle poverty, reduce inequality, and build economic resilience across communities. It gives a multi-dimensional view of financial wellbeing—drawing on real-world data at the national, regional, and local levels.
The Explorer has been refreshed with data up to 28th of June 2026. Drawing on de-identified banking data from 5 million GB banking customers, the Explorer sheds light on national, regional and local patterns in economic wellbeing through four key indicators:
- Overdrawn Accounts shows where balances dip below £0 on two or more occasions in a month
- Low Emergency Resilience shows where balances dip below £100 on two or more occasions in a month
- Living Beyond Means shows where people are spending 120% of their income each month
- Benefits Reliance shows where income from certain benefits is 20% or more of total income
At a glance:
Note on this month's sample: two of the weeks feeding into the June observation came in with a smaller sample than usual (around 4 million records rather than the usual 5 million), which could have an onward effect on our income and living beyond means metrics this month. This month has seen smaller shifts in our reporting than we may usually see, this could be due to our smaller sample size or could be attributed to steadying economic factors.
There have been small changes across overdrawn accounts with England and Wales seeing a small increase (England 0.19%-points and Wales 0.06%-points) and Scotland seeing a minor decrease of 0.03%-points. Similarly, account holders in England and Wales have seen slight increases in living beyond means (0.15-0.36%- points) and Scottish account holders having a 0.15%-point decrease.
The number of account holders with low emergency resilience has slightly decreased in Scotland and Wales, with a 0.32%-point decrease in Scotland and 0.2%-points in Wales, while those in England have seen a slight increase of 0.14%-points.
All regions experienced a slight decrease in benefit reliance, from a 0.03%-point decrease in England to a 0.15%-point decrease in Wales.
Data Breakdown:
Overdrawn | Living Beyond Means | Low Emergency Resilience | Benefit Reliance | |
Scotland | 0.03%-point decrease to 15.2% | 0.15%-point decrease to 12.2% | 0.32%-point decrease to 31.9% | 0.06%-point decrease to 7.6% |
England | 0.19%-point increase to 16.2% | 0.15%-point increase to 13.1% | 0.14%-point increase to 34.1% | 0.03%-point decrease to 7.8% |
Wales | 0.06%-point increase to 17.5% | 0.36%-point increase to 11.9% | 0.2%-point decrease to 35.8% | 0.15%-point increase to 9.3% |
These new data points suggest that economic and financial pressure have remained relatively stable over the last reporting period, with small changes across Great Britain. These shifts in percentage points that are smaller than we may usually see could be due to our smaller sample size or they could be attributed to steadying economic factors.
Regional changes
Scotland has seen small improvements across all four indicators. These changes may point to a modest strengthening in financial resilience, although the shifts are small enough that this may simply be a slightly more stable economic environment and should be looked at in relation to contextual data.
In England the increase in overdrawn accounts, low emergency resilience, and living beyond means indicates that more account holders may be experiencing financial pressure with less capacity to absorb unexpected costs. This could increase reliance on overdrafts, credit or reductions in essential spending. The slight fall in benefit reliance may reflect changes in financial situations, but should not necessarily be interpreted as a reduction in financial need especially when looked at in relation to our other indicators and contextual data.
Wales account holders have the highest levels of overdrawn accounts, low emergency resilience, and benefit reliance among our sample, but have seen the largest decrease in benefits reliance. Although low emergency resilience has fallen slightly, the rise in living beyond means and overdrawn accounts suggests that many households may have limited financial flexibility and could be particularly exposed to changes in household costs or income.
On their own, these indicators highlight seasonal patterns and shifts following policy or economic changes. Combined with contextual data, they help reveal the underlying drivers of poverty, inequality and financial vulnerability in different parts of Great Britain.
You can explore these indicators alongside open contextual data on housing, education, health and more in the Economic Wellbeing Explorer where the data is reported on with weekly data points.
