1 in 3 Brits pay for a subscription they no longer use
Around one in three (31%) UK adults have paid for a subscription or service they no longer use, new data from the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) shows.
The survey of more than 2,000 UK adults further reveals almost half (48%) of people have hidden or downplayed their spending from a partner or family member.
When it comes to hiding the cost of purchases, gifts and presents comes top (40%), followed by clothes and fashion items (37%), and general online shopping (31%).
Zoe Burns-Shore, Executive Director for Customer Delivery at the Money and Pensions Service said it was clear that many people across the UK are under financial pressure.
“Rising costs, unexpected expenses and wider economic uncertainty can make managing money feel overwhelming, but you are not alone and even small changes can make a big difference,” she said.
“Whether it’s making a budget, shopping around for a better deal on your bills, or cancelling that unused subscription, it all counts.”
Making it easier to cancel
The UK’s new consumer subscription regime is due to take effect on 1 January 2027, ushering in several new rules that businesses will have to follow when it comes to memberships and subscription arrangements.
The changes go far beyond updating terms and conditions, as businesses may need to modify sign-up journeys, apps, billing and CRM systems, customer communications, cancellation processes, refund arrangements and record-keeping. This is according to Sarah O’Brien and Marta Isabel Garcia, Partners at legal firm Stephenson Harwood.
The firm notes that the changes apply broadly where a consumer pays for goods, services or digital content supplied on a recurring or continuing basis and the contract renews or continues unless the consumer takes steps to end it.
It also covers free or discounted introductory offers that automatically convert into paid or higher-priced subscriptions. This includes:
- Streaming, software and digital-content subscriptions;
- Gym, wellness and other recurring memberships;
- ‘Subscribe and save’ arrangements;
- Recurring product deliveries;
- Free or discounted trials that convert automatically into paid subscriptions.
The rules can also apply where a subscription is ancillary to a business’s main offering, such as a recurring servicing or delivery arrangement.
They are not limited to businesses operating principally through subscription models, Stephenson Harwood said.
