NatWest Group today announced it has launched a new investment education module for young people as part of its free NatWest Thrive financial education and future skills programme, which last year reached over one million young people across the UK.
The move comes as a new survey of 5,000 UK adults, commissioned by NatWest Group in March 2026, reveals more than half of those surveyed (51%) would have been more likely to invest if they had received financial education before the age of 18, while almost seven in ten (69%) say investing was never discussed at home growing up, highlighting a potential investment confidence gap in the UK and the need for earlier, more practical financial education.
The announcement comes at a time of growing national focus on financial literacy and investment awareness. From 2028, financial education will become compulsory in primary schools, while new FCA reforms introduced earlier this month aim to make investment guidance more accessible and help address the UK’s long-standing advice gap.
Despite this progress, the findings of the survey suggest that many respondents still lack the confidence and knowledge to engage with investing themselves or to support the next generation in doing so, with 44% of survey participants also saying they would not feel confident talking to a child or young person about investing.
Developed with and delivered through NatWest Thrive’s National Youth Agency partnership, the new investment education module is designed for 14 -16-year-olds and builds on the programme’s existing focus on core money skills such as saving, budgeting and managing money day to day, building knowledge and helping young people understand how investing fits into longer‑term financial planning.
Through games, discussion and a live market simulation, participants learn the fundamentals of saving, investing and risk. As part of the session, they invest a notional £1,000 across a range of companies, responding to real-time ‘news flashes’ that test how they react to changing market conditions. The training also includes guidance on spotting investment scams and concludes with a personal action plan.
Pilot sessions are underway ahead of a planned roll out nationally via schools, youth clubs and the NatWest Thrive digital platform for the new academic year in September 2026.
NatWest Thrive has also announced it will extend its partnership with the National Youth Agency for a further two years, continuing its work to bring financial education into youth clubs and communities across the UK. Since the start of the partnership in 2022, NatWest Thrive has already supported over 10,000 young people, with 97% of those taking part in NatWest Thrive in youth clubs saying it has positively changed their financial behaviours, according to NatWest Thrive’s latest impact data.
NatWest Group is the only UK high-street bank working in partnership with the National Youth Agency to deliver financial education in youth clubs through trained youth workers, helping ensure support reaches young people in the communities where it is needed most.
Alongside this, NatWest Group is investing in the youth work sector through its £5 million Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Scheme. It is the first UK bank to use its Apprenticeship Levy to support youth worker qualifications, with the funding covering almost a third (31%) of all degree-level youth work apprenticeships in England in 2025.
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.
Solange Chamberlain, CEO of NatWest's Retail Bank, said: “Financial confidence doesn’t just benefit individuals; it’s vital for the long‑term growth the UK needs. Young people are navigating an increasingly complex world, now more than ever, yet many reach adulthood without the confidence or understanding to make informed financial choices.
“Extending financial education into the primary curriculum is a welcome step forward, and we want to play our part by supporting customers at every life stage. For young people to feel prepared for the future, they need confidence across a full range of financial skills, from managing money day-to-day and building healthy savings habits, to understanding how investing can responsibly support long‑term goals. NatWest Thrive is about giving young people that foundation early, and our new investment module pilot builds on this by helping them understand investing as part of a broader, responsible approach to financial planning.”
Leigh Middleton, CEO of the National Youth Agency, said: “We’re delighted that NatWest continues to believe in the power of youth work to transform young lives through the unique voluntary, informal and trusted relationship that youth workers develop with young people. Thanks to their ongoing commitment, we are looking forward to seeing many more young people have access to financial education beyond the classroom.
“By investing in youth worker training through its Apprenticeship Levy, NatWest is also helping to grow and upskill the youth sector in line with our ambition to more than double the number of qualified youth workers at Levels 1- 6 by 2035. This will enable many more young people to access the support of a youth worker to improve their emotional, social and economic wellbeing.”
Notes to Editors
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.
About NatWest Group’s Apprenticeship Levy Funding
The levy transfer funding from NatWest Group supports youth work apprenticeships at Level 3 and Level 6. There are no level 4 or 5 apprenticeships available for youth work. In 2025 NatWest Group levy funding supported approximately 30.7% of the apprentices on the Level 6 youth worker degree apprenticeship programme. This figure is based on England only, not UK.
