Our charity: Supporting schools and young people
WizeUp Financial Education: Closing the financial literacy gap
WizeUp Financial Education is a UK charity that helps young people develop practical financial skills and employability skills before entering adulthood. Through engaging workshops and school programmes, delivered in partnerships with financial institutions, WizeUp teaches essential money management skills such as budgeting, saving, understanding credit and recognising financial scams.
Too many young people in the UK leave education unprepared for the financial realities of adult life and this lack of financial literacy creates stress and can lead to debt and missed opportunities. Less than 50% of young people aged 7-17 get a meaningful financial education at home or at school and only 1% of teachers have received training in financial education, according to the Money and Pension Service. Our own research data suggest that 57% of WizeUp’s students do not recall ever receiving any financial education at school prior to our sessions.
WizeUp exists to close this gap by offering programmes that deliver our core values: engaging, adaptable, inclusive and impactful. Our sessions are
engaging because they focus on real-world money skills, not just theory; we're proud that 76% of students say they actively enjoy our sessions. We also design our programmes to be inclusive and accessible to learners of all abilities and backgrounds, and with measurable impact; after just one of our sessions, 84% of students report feeling confident in their ability to manage money in the future.
Who we work with
With the government's commitment to increase financial education, outlined in their 2025 Curriculum Review, we are diversifying our programmes to extend our reach to primary age children and community groups, reaching more learners than ever before, including disadvantage students. 36% of the schools WizeUp partners with are located in the most deprived areas of the country and nearly half (46%) of schools have an above-average proportion of pupils eligible for Free School Meals. We also remain committed to supporting and advocating for post-16 learners, who are not currently including in the Government's financial education plans.
We work across England to reach young people at the point where financial education has the greatest impact:
• Primary and secondary schools — introducing essential money skills before students transition to the next stage of education or leave school.
• Sixth form and FE colleges — helping students to prepare for adult life, through understanding the fundamentals of finance, such as budgeting, credit and saving as well as university finance.
• Pupil referral units and SEND schools — creating inclusive, accessible programmes to reach underserved learners.
• Youth organisations and community groups — providing inclusive, interactive learning for students who may not thrive in traditional classroom settings.
How WizeUp makes a difference
Learning practical money skills can transform a young person’s future. Students who receive financial literacy education are better prepared to:
• Make informed decisions about spending, saving and borrowing.
• Avoid scams and financial risks.
• Plan for future opportunities, including higher education and employment.
• Build confidence in managing their personal finances independently.
By partnering with a range of banks, building societies and charitable trusts, we offer fully funded and subsided programmes to schools. This means that we can offer free financial education to more young people than ever before, while maintaining our accessibility and impact mission.
You can help us by:
• Bringing our programmes to your school or youth group.
• Partnering with us or sponsoring our initiatives to expand our reach.
• Signing up for our programmes and workshops for schools, colleges and youth groups.