- NatWest Group to train over 300 new facilitators to support programme extension
NatWest Group today announced a new financial education offering designed to demystify investing, as part of its free Financial Foundations programme.
The new investment-focused workshop, which will be available nationwide from May 2026, has been designed to help more people understand the basics of investing and build financial confidence.
The launch builds on the bank’s existing programme of workshops, which cover essential skills such as budgeting, saving and planning for the future. NatWest Group announced earlier this year that it was expanding the programme to reach the equivalent of around 1,000 people a week. The bank is aiming to support 50,000 people during 2026 with free financial education and guidance, delivered in workplaces, charities and community groups.
To help realise this ambition, NatWest Group is training an additional 300 colleagues to become facilitators to deliver sessions across the UK. These new facilitators will join an existing network of around 400 colleagues who already deliver practical, in-person workshops nationwide.
The news comes as a survey of 5,000 UK adults commissioned by NatWest Group in March 2026 found almost six in ten (58%) of those surveyed would be likely to take part in a financial education session on investing if it were offered in their workplace and that those aged under 35 were twice as likely to believe that employers have a responsibility for delivering financial education than those aged 35+ (9% vs 4%).
To mark the launch, NatWest Group CEO Paul Thwaite attended the first Financial Foundations investment workshop, visiting digital transformation specialists Barcode Warehouse in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and meeting employees taking part.
Paul Thwaite, CEO of NatWest Group, said: “A strong economy needs financial confidence and capability – the knowledge and skills that help people and families budget, save, invest and plan for the future. This is a vital part of our economic infrastructure and is often overlooked.
“Household saving and investment decisions play a critical role in the economy, yet too many people still feel uncertain or excluded from the knowledge and tools required to successfully make those decisions as part of their long term financial planning.
“Building a stronger culture of financial confidence across the full spectrum, from everyday budgeting and on to saving and investing, starts with education, whether in schools, workplaces or at key life moments. That’s why we’re extending our Financial Foundations programme to allow us to take more of our colleagues’ expertise into the communities we serve, helping more people build financial confidence and resilience.
“Our new investment workshop aims to break down barriers to investing by offering practical guidance, building on the existing programme, which has been running since 2024 and has helped develop confidence in saving and money management for over 31,000 people in the UK in 2025.”
The launch comes at a time of growing national focus on financial literacy, as new FCA reforms aim to make investment guidance more accessible and help address the UK’s long‑standing advice gap.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby KC MP, said: “Financial literacy matters to the health of people’s finances, and to the health of our economy. I'm delighted to see NatWest Group committing to extend their financial education and literacy programme to give people access to new and improved financial skills.”
Alpesh Khakhar, CFO, The Barcode Warehouse, said: “Our colleagues found the Financial Foundations investment workshop extremely beneficial. Even for those with some experience of investing or a good understanding of managing money, the opportunity to have open conversations and receive simple, impartial guidance helped to break down barriers that can exist. We’re looking forward to more of our colleagues across the UK having the chance to take part in future sessions.”
Using its strong regional network and position as the UK’s biggest business bank, NatWest Group has designed its Financial Foundations programme to take colleagues’ expertise into the places where customers live and work, with sessions delivered from Stornoway to Plymouth.
Last year, 1,500 Financial Foundations workshops were delivered to more than 31,000 participants and, alongside NatWest Thrive, its partner programme for young people, more than one million people were reached.
Feedback shows that 92% of participants would recommend the workshops, and 90% feel more confident about managing or protecting their finances.
Today’s announcement forms part of NatWest Group’s five point ‘Growing Together’ plan, which sets out how the bank will help build the conditions for UK-wide growth by backing powerful regions, championing mid-market companies, strengthening infrastructure and housing, boosting financial confidence among families and young people, and supporting the innovators shaping the future economy.
As well as Financial Foundations, NatWest Group also offers free, confidential one-to-one Worksite Financial Health Checks (FHCs) to employees of business customers who want more personalised support no matter who they bank with. FHCs, which are also available in branch and on videocall, are delivered by a trained senior personal banker and designed to help people take charge of their finances and work towards their goals with confidence.
NatWest Group’s Financial Foundations programme is free and open to all businesses and community groups. To find out more or request a workshop, please contact: financial.foundations@natwest.com.
Notes to Editors
About Financial Foundations
- NatWest Group’s free Financial Foundations workshops are designed to help participants across the UK take control of their money, build confidence and plan for the future. The different sessions cover essential skills — from budgeting and saving to understanding borrowing and preparing for life events.
- Working closely with partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors, NatWest Group colleagues volunteer their time and expertise to deliver workshops tailored to local needs. The programme gives people the practical tools to make informed financial choices and strengthen their long-term resilience.
- The 2026 ambition to extend the Financial Foundations programme to 50,000 people covers 1 January to 31 December 2026.These numbers are manually recorded by NatWest Group colleagues who deliver the sessions, and the bank does not independently verify attendance. As the data relies on self-reported figures, reported attendance may be subject to human error. Workshops are delivered in person or virtually, free of charge, to employees or service users of organisations across all sectors, including NatWest Group’s own colleagues.
- NatWest Group's Financial Foundations programme was awarded silver in the Financial Education and Inclusion Initiative category at the 2025 Global Good Finance Awards. The category recognises programmes and activities that are developed with the aim of expanding learning about finance, enhancing access to financial information, and how managing finances can improve outcomes for individuals.
About the survey
This online survey of 5,000 UK adults (nationally representative on the basis of age/gender/region) was conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected between [02/03/2026] and [06/03/2026]. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council.
