Starting out, falling behind: Tracing young adults' journeys into debt

This study looks beyond generational labels to understand the factors that shape the financial lives and experiences of 18-34 year-olds and their potential financial futures. It draws on four data sources to give a detailed and rich picture: StepChange client data for 71,000 young adults aged 18-34 who received advice in 2025; an online survey of around 100 young StepChange clients who recently received advice; interviews with 20 young adults who completed our client survey; and nationally representative polling of 4,200 UK adults, including 829 aged 18-34.