Open up about money this Talk Money Week with Just Finance Foundation

Talk Money Week 2024

4 - 8 November

open up about money at home, at work and at school.

Most children in the UK miss out on meaningful financial education, leaving them unprepared to make informed choices about money as they grow. This can affect their confidence, wellbeing and future opportunities.

Join us this Talk Money Week and help change that. By opening up conversations about money at home, at school and in the workplace, you can help break down barriers and equip the next generation with the confidence and skills they need to thrive.

We know that talking about money can be difficult. Explore our online guides and activities to help you get started.

Open up about money

Listen up.

Check out our series of financial education based radio shows with Teacher Talk Radio, the UK’s leading education radio station. Explore interesting conversations around what is financial education, gambling in video games, to innovations to make financial education engaging and accessible to primary school children.

Lauren is a Primary Classroom Teacher and PSHE Lead in an area of London where many families are living with working poverty. This makes conversations about money particularly sensitive and emotive.

“We do We do a Money Talks session each week with all year groups and the materials [from Just Finance Foundation] make it easier to focus in on a specific learning.”

“Using this education, we want to break the cycle and give our children a better understanding of money outside what they may see at home.”

- Lauren

Illustration of a teacher is sat on the ground with 3 students sat on the ground around her while showing them an image of Milo the Dinosaur for a financial education based lesson

Why is Talk Money Week Important?

Thousands of children are growing up without the essential financial education they need to feel confident about their money choices as they grow. Without it, they are more vulnerable to risky decisions, misinformation and financial stress – especially in a world increasingly dominated by social media and unregulated information sources.

The ability to make informed money choices is not just a useful skill – it’s essential for adult life. Money touches everything from how we plan for the future to how we feel about ourselves in relation to the world. When children grow up understanding how money works and how they relate to it, they gain financial knowledge and build confidence to make choices that are right for them.   

That is why Talk Money Week, hosted by the Money and Pensions Service, is so important. It’s a chance for parents/carers, teachers and employers to come together and start important money conversations. At JFF, we know that talking about money is challenging and we provide a range of free resources to help you get started – guides, activities and support designed to help children develop financial literacy from a young age.

We need your help to make sure every child in the UK has access to the quality financial education they deserve. Get involved this Talk Money Week and open up about money for the thousands of children who are missing out.

Questions about Talk Money Week

  • It is important to start teaching and talking about money with our children from a young age.

    Research shows that financial habits begin to form as early as ages 4-7. And yet, financial education is not taught in primary schools through a consistent curriculum and learning experience. This puts some children at a disadvantage compared to their peers and can impact their financial confidence as they grow older.

    Teaching and talking about money at home encourages open communication. It helps children feel comfortable discussing financial choices and seeking advice, fostering a supportive environment where they can learn and grow.

    We know it can be difficult to know how to talk about money. Read our free Talking About Money at Home guide to get started.

  • Talk Money Week is hosted by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) to encourage people to open up about their finances.

    MaPS started Talk Money Week because research shows that people who talk about money make better financial decisions, have stronger relationships, feel less stressed and help their children develop healthy financial habits for life.

    Read more about MaPS and Talk Money Week.

  • Here are some top tips for starting a conversation with children in simple, age-appropriate and engaging ways:

    • Start early
      Read stories together than include characters making money choices. As they grow, introduce concepts like spending and saving using pretend or real money.

    • Use real-life examples
      For younger children, ask them if they know where money comes from when you buy a snack from the shop.
      For older children, try setting a food shopping budget together.

    • Talk about mistakes
      Share the mistakes you have made and what you have learned to help avoid similar mistakes and develop critical thinking.

    For more top tips and activities you can do together, download our free Talking About Money at Home Guide.

  • For Talk Money Week, there are a variety of free resources available to help parents/carers, teachers and employers engage in conversations about money and promote financial education.

    At JFF, all our resources, activities and guides are designed to be easy to use, making it as simple as possible for you to open up about money.

    • Impart your education knowledge and help shape the future of financial education in schools by filling out our Talk Money Week survey.

    • Share and take our financial literacy test made by our expert financial education specialists.

    • Sign up your primary school as a LifeSavers school and access all our free resources for a whole school approach to financial education.

    • Start the conversation at work with the The Money and Pensions Service guide, Financial Wellbeing in the Workplace – The Essential Guide for Employers.

    • Join our Corporate Supporter Group and take part in future financial education events and projects.

    You can also access more free resources from the Money and Pensions Service.

  • Primary school teachers
    You can access free classroom activities, CPD training and ongoing support throughout the year. Explore our LifeSavers financial education programme and book a chat with us today.

    We are able to provide year-round financial education support at no cost to primary schools thanks to the generosity of our funders.

    Parents/carers
    Sign-up to receive monthly financial education news, free resources and opportunities to get involved.

    Corporate partnerships
    To find our more about corporate partnerships, including employee volunteering opportunities, contact melissa.higgsmith@jff.org.uk