The UK Wealth Blueprint

Part one

The net worth sheet

Everything you own, then everything you owe. Fill in what applies and leave the rest. The calculator does the arithmetic if you would rather not.

Part two

Which stage you are at

Find the first row that describes you. That is your stage, and the next column is the only thing worth doing about it right now.

1. 01

   Stabilising

   Net worth is near zero or negative, and a surprise bill goes on a card.

   The next thing: One month of costs in cash. Nothing else matters until that exists.

2. 02

   Clearing

   A cushion exists, but expensive debt is still running.

   The next thing: Highest rate first. Take the full employer pension match while you do it — that is the one thing worth doing out of order.

3. 03

   Building

   No expensive debt, three to six months of costs held, saving every month.

   The next thing: Fill the tax-sheltered space. Pension where relief is highest, ISA where you might need it sooner.

4. 04

   Compounding

   Allowances largely used, net worth rising without much attention.

   The next thing: Costs and asset mix. A percentage point of charges over thirty years takes about a quarter of the pot.

5. 05

   Transferring

   More than you will spend, and the question becomes who gets it.

   The next thing: Liquidity and paperwork. Wills, pension nominations, and whether the estate can pay its tax without selling the house.

Part three

The annual review

Once a year, in an hour. January is as good a time as any — the tax year end in April is late to discover an allowance you have not used.

1. Recalculate net worth and write it next to last year's figure.
2. Check what your employer actually matches, and whether you are taking all of it.
3. Check the ISA allowance used so far this tax year.
4. Check pension contributions against the annual allowance, and whether any taper applies.
5. List every account, provider and login in one place, and tell someone where it is.
6. Check your will is current, and your pension death benefit nomination with it — that one sits outside the will and is forgotten constantly.
7. Note the one thing you will change this year. One.

For the 2026 to 2027 tax year the ISA allowance is £20,000 and the standard pension annual allowance is £60,000. Both are checked again by 2027-03-01 — see methodology.