‘Hidden helpers’ supporting people struggling to manage their finances digitally

Some people are relying on potentially risky workarounds to manage their finances, a report has found.

Friends, family, carers and neighbours are spending hours each month patiently helping others with basic banking tasks, yet many “financial helpers” are doing so without any formal authority and help is often based on trust, according to a survey.

The research was led by consumer finance expert Faith Reynolds, with support from cash access and ATM network Link.

YouGov surveyed nearly 850 people across the UK who had helped someone with their banking or money management between December 2024 and December 2025.

The report found that people being helped often log in themselves with a helper beside them.

But a quarter (26%) of people surveyed said the person they help shares passcodes or security details with them.

And 17% said the people they help allow them to log in on their behalf on the helper’s device.

The report said: “Financial help is increasingly essential because, as branches have closed and banking has become digital, the responsibility for navigating complexity and preventing fraud has quietly shifted from institutions to individuals and families.”

More than half (54%) of people said they have no formal authority or access rights at all, meaning many people are relying on informal workarounds to provide the help needed.

While many helpers said they worry they will be accused of taking advantage of the person they are helping, 43% highlighted the risk of fraud and scams as a top concern for the person being helped.

Three in 10 (28%) said they had helped to stop or prevent scams or fraud.

The top tasks helpers selected include checking account balances, assisting with online payments or passcodes when shopping online, and making or scheduling payments.

To provide this support, financial helpers use mobile banking apps the most, followed by online banking via websites and ATMs.

The support provided is also not limited to banking, with 45% of helpers assisting others to use digital devices, 41% helping with managing utilities or bills, and 31% helping with using or setting up their television.

Nearly a third (31%) help setting up health appointments and 28% set up broadband or internet services.

Financial helpers are often fitting in helping alongside work and family commitments, such as children and jobs.

One helper told researchers they had been helping “about five years when their bank branch closed… They asked me for help after throwing their phone across the room because they couldn’t even log in.”

Another helper said: “Because of the rise of AI and scams, my father fell victim to this and couldn’t believe that the person wasn’t real.

“This is what made me realise he needed some help with any new payments because I needed to sense-check that they were genuine.”

Faith Reynolds, director, Devon Fields Consulting, said: “For many people digital banking feels complicated and in some cases scary. They are turning to trusted friends, family and neighbours to help them make sense of it all.

“In turn, they have become the ‘shadow infrastructure’ for the digital banking ecosystem, in some cases resorting to risky, informal workarounds to make things work.”

John Howells, chief executive, Link, said: “The scale of hidden help is further proof that digital banking doesn’t yet work for everyone.”

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “As more and more banking services are delivered online, it’s increasingly important that older people who don’t use online services can continue to manage their money safely.

“This fascinating research explains how many lacking digital skills or access cope, and reveals a big gap between the theory and the reality of what happens when banks close down their physical services: instead of people simply adopting online services with ease, many will look for workarounds which are often high risk, such as sharing passwords or financial details with third parties.”

She added that while the industry has done a lot to roll out banking hubs, where banks share services in one space, “gaps still exist”.

Ms Abrahams added: “The result is that many people are forced into other ways of looking after their money, leaving digitally excluded, often-vulnerable customers at a significant disadvantage.”

A UK Finance spokesperson said: “The banking industry is committed to supporting all customers by ensuring that products and services are accessible and easy to use for everyone, while also protecting them from fraud.

“As fewer people are using bank branches, banks have closed some and are offering face-to-face support through the Post Office and the expanding network of shared banking hubs.

“They also continue to provide guidance and financial education to help people manage services confidently, so customers should speak to their bank about the support available to them.”