One in three have done nothing to prepare for their death

New research from Aegon’s Money has found that one in three adults has done nothing to prepare for their death, while 83% of adults say financial preparation for death matters with 43% deeming  it ‘very important.’

A third (32%) have taken no steps at all, with only 38% having written a will, 26% having communicated their wishes, and just 18% having organised core financial documents such as pension information, insurance details or account records. Emotional barriers also persist, although 74% agree emotional preparation is important, 13% say the topic feels too emotional or uncomfortable.

Younger adults show a stronger sense of postponement – they are much more likely to say they don’t think preparation is necessary yet and are also a little more likely to feel unsure about how to begin. This highlights a behavioural barrier and a market-wide opportunity for clearer guidance, streamlined tools, and earlier interventions.

Dr Tom Mathar, Head of Money:Mindshift, said “We save for home deposits or repay our mortgage, we build up rainy day funds, and we plan for children’s futures. Yet the one thing we know for certain will happen to us is the very thing so many of us avoid preparing for: writing wills, communicating our wishes, or organising essential financial documents like pension information, insurance details, and account records.

“Thinking about death can be painful, disorienting, and destabilising. We haven’t been taught to talk about it or plan for it. In fact, the language of death, grief, loss, legacy, and letting go is a language we must deliberately relearn.”