Personal finance expert Gabriel Nussbaum has shared the surprising savings benchmarks that show whether you’re ahead of most Brits – and you might be doing better than you think

Many Brits are concerned about their financial situation, but according to one personal finance expert, they may be better off than expected. Gabriel Nussbaum has revealed a surprising threshold that demonstrates when savers are outperforming the majority of the UK population – and the figures might come as a pleasant surprise.

In a recent TikTok video, Nussbaum outlined several indicators suggesting individuals are in a secure financial position. “If you have more than £1,000, you’re doing great. Second, if you have more than £5,594 in savings, that is the median savings currently in the UK, meaning that if you have more than that, you’re in the top 50%, and that’s skewed by the older generation.”

He continued: “So, if you have more than £1,000 under the age of 35, you’re doing better than 50%. If you have more than £3,500, you’re in the top 50%.”

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the typical UK household held approximately £5,500 in savings during 2024, suggesting many Britons may feel financially insecure despite maintaining reasonable savings levels. However, research from the Money and Pensions Service indicates that almost half of UK adults have less than £1,500 in savings, placing them at risk should unforeseen costs or emergencies arise.

The ongoing cost of living crisis has heightened concerns, with energy bills, food costs, and mortgage payments putting pressure on family finances. However, Nussbaum emphasises that modest, regular savings are more important than pursuing a massive balance immediately.

“Even putting aside a few hundred pounds a year can position you ahead of the average,” he says.

The video has sparked numerous responses online. “Who knew how well I was doing?” one user responded, whilst another acknowledged: “I feel like a success at life now, thank you for that.”

Conversely, many are becoming progressively worried: “Noted. I must do better. Less spending and more saving needed,” one person recognised, followed by another who admitted: “Oh okay, okay, so I have actually been doing worse than I first thought.”

Notably, younger savers frequently undervalue their position. ONS figures indicate that under-35s with merely £1,000 in savings are already outperforming half their age group.

By £3,500, they’ve surpassed 50% of the adult population, illustrating the benefit of early, consistent saving.

Financial advisers recommend reviewing your accounts routinely, setting up automatic transfers, and monitoring emergency funds to maximise your money. Whilst inflation may seem intimidating, establishing a buffer now – even a modest one – can make a substantial difference over time.

So, if your bank balance reaches that £3,500 milestone before your 55th birthday, take a moment to pause. According to Gabriel Nussbaum, you’re already faring better than you think – and that’s an achievement worth celebrating.

A rivalry reignites as Chelsea welcome Leeds United to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League as Liam Rosenior’s side looks to continue their fine form

Chelsea aim to extend their flawless Premier League record under Liam Rosenior as they host Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening. Since Rosenior’s arrival, the Blues have secured four consecutive top-flight victories, marking a significant turnaround after failing to win any of their previous five league matches (three draws, two losses). Their resurgence has included impressive wins in a challenging stretch of London derbies—over Brentford, Crystal Palace, and West Ham United—culminating in Cole Palmer’s remarkable first-half hat-trick during Saturday’s 3–1 triumph at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That win was the ideal response to their EFL Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Arsenal, with the home and away defeats to the Gunners representing Rosenior’s only setbacks in his first nine matches across all competitions. Chelsea currently sit fifth in the Premier League, just one point shy of the top four and four points ahead of sixth-placed Liverpool. A victory on Tuesday would not only bolster their Champions League ambitions but also see Rosenior become the first Chelsea manager since Maurizio Sarri in September 2018 to win his first three home league games in charge.

However, Chelsea will need to overcome their recent struggles in midweek fixtures, having failed to win any of their three such Premier League games this season (two draws, one loss), including a 3–1 defeat at Elland Road in December.

Leeds United, meanwhile, arrive in good spirits following a 3–1 home win over Nottingham Forest last Friday, where early goals from Jayden Bogle, Noah Okafor, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put the result beyond doubt before Lorenzo Lucca’s late consolation. That victory helped Daniel Farke’s side bounce back after a heavy defeat to league leaders Arsenal, which remains just one of two losses in their last 12 league outings (four wins, six draws)—a notable improvement from their eight defeats in the opening 13 matches (three wins, two draws).

Now 16th in the table and six points clear of the relegation zone with 13 games remaining, Leeds will be eager to further distance themselves from danger with a positive result in London. However, their away form raises concerns, as they have lost seven of their 12 Premier League matches on the road, with only Burnley and Wolves collecting fewer points away from home this season. History is also against them at Stamford Bridge, where Leeds are winless in their last seven league visits, losing the last six, and have not celebrated a top-flight victory there since 1999.

Chelsea vs Leeds Team News

Chelsea are still expected to be without Jamie Gittens and Tosin Adarabioyo due to hamstring injuries, while Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia continue their recoveries from thigh problems. Levi Colwill remains sidelined with a knee injury, and Filip Jorgensen’s fitness is uncertain, though Robert Sanchez is set to keep his place in goal. Andrey Santos is a doubt after picking up a knock against Wolves, but Rosenior has suggested Reece James could return after missing the last two games. Cole Palmer, fresh from his record-setting first-half hat-trick at Molineux, is likely to play just behind Joao Pedro.

For Leeds, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to lead the attack, having scored both home and away against Chelsea this season—an achievement matched by teammates Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka. Facundo Buonanotte, whose Chelsea loan ended in January before joining Leeds, was left out of last weekend’s squad for tactical reasons and may miss out again. With Daniel James and Lukas Nmecha back, only Anton Stach is likely to be unavailable, giving manager Daniel Farke an almost fully fit squad.

Chelsea vs Leeds Prediction

• Chelsea to win and both teams to score – 15/8 ( Betfred )
• Joao Pedro to score anytime – 13/10 ( Betfred )

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Construction teams started work on the A1044 Green Lane on Monday, February 9 to build a new path across the major route. 

The scheme – which is expected to take around 20 days – is designed to improve access to and from the likes of Hutchinson Hobbs, Yarm Driving Range, and HMP Kirklevington Grange. 

Yarm councillor Andrew Sherris said many residents had complained about access to Castlelevington Lane and the facilities off the road over the years. 

The plan for a new crossing on Green Lane in Yarm (Image: GOOGLE)

He said he was “really pleased” that the crossing was happening and that Stockton Borough Council had found a solution. 

Cllr Sherris said: “I’m really pleased that this is happening!

“It’s been a regular request from residents over many years, particularly visitors to the farm shop and prison cafés, and also walkers going further afield.

Green Lane in Yarm (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

“The existing path is dangerous, sending people into the middle of a junction. 

“This will be well received and shows that although there are numerous requests throughout the borough, schemes do eventually come to fruition!”

Cllr Sherris admitted that he would also like to see the speed limit on Green Lane reduced from 50mph, and said it was “something we are working on”.

Andrew Sherris (Image: STOCKTON COUNCIL)

The news comes as plans for a new 600 home estate directly off Green Lane – which would see two traffic light junctions added to the road – await a decision from the council. 

The controversial bid is one of several planned estates for Yarm, the others including one in Aislaby, one at Mount Leven Farm, and another further along Green Lane. 

Residents have long argued that the town was already “bursting at the seams” – and town councillor Yvonne Wallace recently saw her petition receive a unanimous backing from councillors at a full meeting last month.

Rosenior reiterated: “I expected it. Look, I don’t know if you’re trying to lead me to say anything. It doesn’t affect me. I’ve been prepared to do this job for years, for decades, and I knew what would come with it. And it actually doesn’t affect me at all, because I know the focus is doing the job and enjoying it.

There’s also concern for Debbie in prison, while Jodie tries to get closer to David

A murder twist is set to rock Betsy Swain in Coronation Street next week – but viewers will have to wait even longer to find out who has actually died.

New spoilers for the ITV soap have revealed how the teenager will be the one to discover a dead body next week as part of a previously confirmed that a special flashforward will see an unknown character dead on the street before revealing the five potential victims it could be, in what has been described as a complicated and intricate storyline.

Now, it’s been revealed that next Monday (February 16), the episode begins with a jittery Betsy being quizzed by the police about finding a dead body, as the detective restarts the tape, it is revealed that the interview is actually happening on a date in April.

The episode alternates between real time and the day of the murder and ends with the reveal of 5 potential victims. Who has been murdered and who is the killer in Weatherfield?

Elsewhere on the cobbles next week, Carl Webster calls a mate, Jez, and talks him through his plans for the Chariot Square hotel fire. Jez calls at the hotel and introduces himself to Ronnie Bailey, making out he’s a handyman looking for work. While Ronnie’s distracted, Jez takes photos of the fire exits and cameras then hurries out.

Later, Carl goes over the details of the fire with Jez but as Carl heads off, Ronnie approaches Jez, takes a picture of him on his phone and warns him that Carl is bad news. Ronnie then confronts Carl and spells out that whatever he was plotting, he can forget it as he’s got Debbie Webster’s back. But when Carl drops that Debbie is his mum and will always put him first, how will Ronnie react?

Meanwhile, in prison, Debbie calls Lou Micahelis ‘Abi’ by mistake and explains that she’s got onset dementia. Also in the prison, another inmate, Paula, recognises Debbie. Lou warns Debbie that Paula is bad news and is best avoided but as Lou heads off, Paula marks Debbie’s card and reminds her that she once barred her from the hotel. Is Debbie in danger?

Later, in her cell, Debbie’s minding her own business when suddenly, Paula barges her way in, bursts into tears and explains to Debbie how her boyfriend has dumped her, and he’s doing time for aggravated burglary. When Debbie tries to comfort her, how will Paula react?

When Ronnie and Kevin visit Debbie, Ronnie reveals that Carl reckons she’s his mum and Debbie admits it’s true. When Ronnie heads back to the street and finds Carl, what will he do? Well, later, Carl tells Kit that he wants to report Ronnie for assault. Meanwhile, in the prison, Debbie’s shocked when the guard reveals that her brother Carl has booked a visit. Once in the prison visiting room, Debbie assures Carl that once she gets out she’ll do everything she can to make it up to him.

Also in Weatherfield, Sam Blakeman tells Daniel Osbourne that with Leanne Battersby away, he’s intending to revise in the salon flat. Meanwhile, Megan Walsh takes a call from Will and informs him that she’s got the flat to herself for a few nights. Will Driscoll lies to his dad, Ben, making out that his mate Ethan has invited him over to stay the night but Ben refuses to let him go.

When Daniel calls at the Rovers and reluctantly apologises to Will, Ben’s impressed by Will’s maturity when he shakes Daniel’s hand and tells him he can stay at his mate’s after all. Will approaches the salon flat carrying his holdall while Sam watches as Megan buzzes him in. Is Sam getting closer to the truth?

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Later, Sam lets himself into the salon flat and startles Megan. Once Megan is gone, Sam clears some space on a shelf. Megan tells Will about Sam, how he let himself into the flat and they need to get him on side, so Will forms a plan.

In the Bistro, Will dismisses Nick Tilsley’s concern about Sam, then later offers Sam vodka to hang out, Sam accepts, hoping to pump him for information. In the precinct, Will assures Sam that his relationship with Megan is purely professional.

Sam doesn’t believe him, but they’re interrupted by Daniel, causing Will to run and leave Sam to take the blame. Later, Sam is thrilled to finally log onto his hidden camera app and see Megan and Will enter the flat.

Later, Nick finally returns Sam’s phone but he’s frustrated to realise the battery’s flat. Eva Price invites Toyah Battersby to join her, Leanne and Megan for a girls night out. Leanne teases Megan and tells Toyah and Eva how she reckons Megan and Daniel have been using the flat as their love nest.

As Megan heads to the bar she grabs a quiet word with Sam and spells out that if he ever decides to blab, nobody will believe him as he’s not as clever as he thinks. Having recharged his phone, Sam watches the video from the hidden camera. Does Sam have his proof?

Next week’s Corrie will also see Mal Roper show Brian Packer a bag of crystals that he’s bought and explains that he’s learning about their healing properties but Bernie Winter’s annoyed, sensing that he’s trying to impress her. When Jodie Ramsay serves Brian with the wrong toastie, Bernie snaps at her. As Jodie clocks Bernie’s irritation at Mal, how will she get her own back?

Later, Mal quizzes Chesney, wanting to know which is Bernie’s favourite crystal, while Lily Platt sets off on her first paper round. But she dumps the newspapers in a bin. Hope Dobbs retrieves the papers and returns them to Rita Tanner and tries to secure her help for her Duke of Edinburgh badge, but is poorly received when she makes a dig at Rita’s age.

Later, David Platt returns home to find Jodie and Carl in a state of undress. David’s horrified and orders Carl out of the house but Jodie’s pleased to have David’s attention. Meanwhile, Brian tells David and Shona he needs a word about Lily. Jodie steers Lily into the Kabin and prompts her to apologise to Brian. But when a remorseless Lily asks for her job back, Brian refuses.

As the week draws to a close, Jodie tells Hope how appallingly Brian and Rita treated Lily. When Hope sticks up for them, Jodie sews the seed that whilst they might be nice to her face, they’re probably slagging her off behind her back. In the Kabin, Hope listens as Brian and Rita discuss her troubled past. How will Hope get her payback?

Questions like “will getting a pet benefit our child’s mental health?” are increasingly common and pertinent. In Spain, for instance, more than half of all households now have one or more pets.

Attachment is the name for the emotional bond between a developing child and the caregiver who provides them with security and comfort. This kind of bond can also, to a certain extent, also be formed with animals, and these relationships have been shown to have a range of beneficial effects:

But beyond these benefits, how does living alongside an animal impact children’s mental health? We can answer this question by looking at issues categorised as either internalising (such as depression, anxiety and their related physical symptoms) and externalising (a child’s behaviour and relationship with their environment: agression, rulebreaking, and so on).

The INMA study

We analysed data provided by the INMA Project (Infancia y Medio Ambiente, Children and Environment). This was a cohort study, meaning it involved periodic monitoring of a group of participants – in this case, from pregnancy to 6-7 years of age – through questionnaires, environmental measurements and clinical tests.

Our work included around 1,900 households in Spain, located in Asturias, Gipuzkoa (Basque Country), Sabadell (Barcelona) and Valencia. Of these, 52.3% had or had had one or more pets. 19.1% lived or had lived with dogs, 8.7% with cats, 14.8% with birds, and 28.6% with other animals such as hamsters, rabbits, turtles or fish.

When we evaluated the relationship between the presence of animals and mental health, we observed that children who had never had a pet showed the most positive scores. Some trends, although they cannot be considered significant, showed slightly more negative results among children who had always lived with pets. Those who had only had pets intermittently had higher risks of experiencing problems, though this pattern was only significant for cats.

To account for other factors that might influence this relationship, we performed additional analyses to adjust the results according to social class, sex, age, cohort, and so on. We found no difference between those who had never lived with animals and those who had had them always or only intermittently. This applied to the variable that studied any type of pet, as well as the specific ones that evaluated the relationship with dogs and birds.

The most interesting finding was that having a cat at age 4-5 was associated with more mental health problems. Having other animals – such as hamsters, rabbits, turtles or fish – consistently throughout early childhood seemed to have a protective effect on boys and girls alike.

Unpacking our findings

In the early years of life, emotional bonds may not be fully formed. Therefore, the presence of dogs or birds may not have a major effect on mental health. It is also possible that variables not included in our study may have influenced the results.

In the case of cats, their way of interacting with people could explain the effects observed. They are more independent, which limits emotional bonding, and some families may choose this animal as a pet because their children have emotional needs of their own.

In addition, toxoplasmosis is more common in cats than in other animals. This infection – caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii which can be transmitted to humans – is linked to behavioural problems, as well as serious mental disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Having fish, turtles and hamsters on a constant basis does seem to protect children from mental health problems. These pets demand stable and easy contact, and help kids to learn responsibility, empathy and self-control.

Constant bonds are better

Our study did not clearly associate the presence of some pets, such as dogs and birds, with benefits or harm to childrens’ mental health. This could be because our work focused on exposure to pets in very early life – further studies focusing on older children are required.

In addition, children who lived with animals such as hamsters, rabbits, fish or turtles on a regular basis achieved better results than those who only had them intermittently. This suggests that a continuous link may be more beneficial than sporadic exposure.

While living with a pet can promote responsibility, empathy and emotional self-regulation, its real impact depends on factors such as the nature of the bond, age and style of upbringing.

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The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is aiming to raise at least £800,000 to fund urgent repairs to Bridge 42, which crosses the River Murk Esk.

The temporary propping will allow the bridge to remain in use for the 2026 season.

Phil Sash, director of civils at NYMR, said: “Propping Bridge 42 is a carefully considered solution that keeps the bridge fully operational for the upcoming season.

“It also gives us the time needed to develop a detailed repair programme, which will be implemented over the winter months to secure the long-term safety and performance of this important structure.

“That said, propping does come with challenges due to the bridge’s location and access.

“The final cost of the project with propping and full repair works will be confirmed once we have received all final surveys and quotations – we are currently awaiting responses from five contractors.”

Temporary supports will be installed to ensure trains can safely cross the bridge throughout the 2026 season.

A full repair programme will then be carried out during the winter of 2026/27 to restore the bridge’s long-term structural integrity.

The work will allow NYMR to continue operating without interruption while protecting the heritage railway for future generations.

Laura Strangeway, CEO at NYMR, said: “Our heritage railway is at the heart of the local community, and it’s important that we continue to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all our visitors.

“The proactive measures for Bridge 42 reflect our commitment to both operational safety and the long-term preservation of this historic line.”

The NYMR has launched a major appeal to help cover the costs of propping and repairing the bridge.

Supporters can contribute by visiting nymr.co.uk/bridge42.

He will tour a section of the 83-mile Sports Boulevard which connects cycling paths, horse trails, green parks and cultural landmarks – a project supporting the core quality-of-life initiative of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to transform the kingdom into a diversified and sustainable economy.

US skier Lindsey Vonn says she has “no regrets” despite confirming she needs “multiple surgeries” after suffering a leg fracture in a crash at the Winter Olympics. 

The 41-year-old was competing in the women’s downhill skiing final on Sunday in Cortina, northern Italy, when she crashed on the piste after clipping a slalom gate while midair.

The crash, occurring just 13 seconds into the run, resulted in Vonn, who was airlifted to hospital, sustaining a “complex tibia fracture” and undergoing initial surgery.

She had already ruptured her ACL in a crash at a World Cup race in Switzerland on 30 January but was determined to compete at her fifth and final Games.

In an Instagram post on Monday, Vonn said: “Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would.

“It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tale, it was just life.

“Unfortunately, I sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly.

“While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets.”

Despite coming into the Winter Olympics with injury, Vonn was still considered a medal hopeful and completed two impressive training runs earlier in the week.

The 2010 downhill champion had returned to elite ski racing last season after nearly six years in retirement, having had a partial knee replacement on her right leg.

She said her past injuries “had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever”.

Taking risks ‘the beauty of life’

In her social media message, Vonn acknowledged the dangers of ski racing but insisted having the chance to compete “was an incredible feeling that I will never forget”.

“Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself,” she said. “I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.

“And similar to ski racing, we take risks in life.

“We dream. We love. We jump. And sometimes we fall. Sometimes our hearts are broken. Sometimes we don’t achieve the dreams we know we could have. But that is also the beauty of life; we can try.

“I tried. I dreamt. I jumped.”

Read more:
Should Vonn have even been competing?
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International Olympic Committee (IOC) sports director Pierre Ducrey said the decision for Vonn to compete was entirely her own.

He said: “She was able to train and make the choice with the excellent team that she has to take part.”

Mr Ducrey said it wasn’t for the IOC to say whether she should have participated, adding: “This decision was really hers and her team’s to take.”

A loud bang is heard before passengers react

Passengers on a homeward-bound flight to Northern Ireland experienced a more nerve-racking flight than usual when a bird strike occurred shortly after take-off yesterday.

One passenger captured the event on video which featured a loud bang from the bird striking the plane. The incident occurred on the Airbus A320 Neo aircraft – EasyJet 3052/U23052 – after it departed Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Sunday evening, destined for Belfast.

But, after a bird impacted with the aircraft, it diverted back to Schiphol Airport as it completed a loop over the ocean before heading inland to it’s departure location.

The passenger not knowing fully what was going to happen after the bird hit the plane labelled the encounter as a “scary” experience.

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They added: “I am just glad we made it safely back on the ground.”

An update at the time from EasyJet read: “We’re sorry that your flight has been returned to Amsterdam. This is because the plane needs to be inspected by our engineers following a bird strike.”

“This can take between 30 minutes to two hours and we’ll keep you updated as soon as we know more. The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority and we thank you for your patience.”

Bird strikes are a common occurrence and a regular hazard for air travel with thousands of incidents reported from around the world annually.

Belfast Live has approached EasyJet for an updated comment.

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