Financial Literacy Month: 10 most confusing money terms £640 a year to poor financial literacy

The UK’s financial literacy is found to be “embarrassingly low” with around 40% of UK adults – roughly 20.3 million people – saying they don’t feel confident managing their finances. Take a look at the 10 most confusing money terms which you need to know to avoid risking up to £640 a year…

More alarmingly, this financial confusion has set Brits back an eye-watering £26 billion in total, with nearly two-thirds (65%) struggling to grasp common financial terms and acronyms used in everyday financial documents. This financial illiteracy is costing the average UK adult a whopping £640 every year, recent research finds.

In light of Financial Literacy Month this April, forex broker experts at BrokerChooser analysed UK search data to uncover the financial terms that Brits find most confusing – and demystified what the most-searched jargon actually means.

Financial Literacy Month: Top 10 financial terms baffling Brits the most

For the complete data of all 53 terms analysed, please click here.

Equity is the most misunderstood financial term worldwide and in the UK

A new report from revealed that ‘Equity’ is the most puzzling financial jargon, receiving a staggering 17,900 monthly searches in the UK and 247,100 searches globally.

Adam Nasli, Head Analyst from BrokerChooser, explained:

“While it’s a fundamental financial concept, equity is often misunderstood due to its broad usage across different contexts. Equity is the amount an owner would retain if they sold an asset or business, after settling any debts tied to it. In simple terms, it’s the value you truly own. For example, if you own a house worth £300,000 and you owe £200,000 on the mortgage, your equity in the home is £100,000. 

In the stock market, equity usually refers to shares in a company – giving investors partial ownership, potential voting rights and a share in the profits. As with a home, a company’s equity represents the difference between its assets and liabilities – what the owners would effectively be left with after selling all assets and settling all obligations.”

GDP socond of the 10 most confusing money terms in the UK

Despite being frequently mentioned in the news, ‘GDP (Gross Domestic Product)’ ranks as the second most confusing financial term, drawing 10,400 average monthly searches in the UK, and 176,800 globally. GDP measures the total market value of all final goods and services produced in a territory – usually a country – within a given time frame such as a quarter or a year.

The total size of a country’s GDP, however, doesn’t tell us much on its own. But GDP per person often reflects how developed an economy is, and GDP growth – especially when looked at alongside other indicators – can be a useful sign of how healthy an economy is.

“Understanding this metric will help people make more informed choices about spending, saving, and investing. For example, strong GDP growth often signals a robust economy and healthy job market – boosting consumer confidence and encouraging big financial decisions like buying a home or investing in equities and other risk assets. 

Conversely, a shrinking GDP may point to an economic slowdown, prompting more conservative financial behaviour. In such environments, investors typically rebalance portfolios toward defensive positions, shifting allocations to safer assets like bonds to mitigate risks,” says Adam Nasli, Head Analyst and forex broker expert at BrokerChooser.

ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) continues to puzzle investors

‘ETF (Exchange Traded Fund)’ places third on the list, racking up 9,950 monthly searches across the country and 142,230 globally. An ETF is a fund traded on a stock exchange. A fund can include many asset types, including equities, bonds, commodities or even forex.

For example, a fund that tracks the S&P 500 Index holds the 500 stocks that constitute the index. The most popular ETFs are equity ETFs that track popular equity indexes like the S&P 500. ETFs are issued by asset management companies like Vanguard or BlackRock. One asset management company can issue many ETFs.

“Think of it as a ready-made investment portfolio that trades on the market. Many people are drawn to ETFs because of their low fees, tax efficiency, and flexibility. It also makes it easier for people to diversify their investments without needing to select individual securities. Whether you’re looking to invest in a specific sector, track a major index like the S&P 500, or gain exposure to gold or tech stocks, there’s likely an ETF for it,” Nasli continues.

APR (Annual Percentage Rate) and Arrears round off the top five

Rounding out the top five financial terms that leave people scratching their heads are ‘APR (Annual Percentage Rate)’ and ‘Arrears’. Despite appearing on everything from credit card statements to mortgage agreements, APR continues to perplex many – amassing over 9,900 monthly searches in the UK and 107,590 searches globally.

It represents the total annual cost of borrowing, including not just the interest rate but also any additional fees or charges tied to the loan, providing a more accurate picture of what borrowers will actually pay.

“Consumers often mistakenly focus on the interest rate alone. But APR offers a more comprehensive comparison tool when shopping for loans, credit cards, or mortgages. A lower APR generally means a more cost-effective borrowing option in the long run,” says Nasli.

Adam Nasli emphasised the growing importance of financial literacy:

“Financial literacy is no longer just a nice-to-have skill – it’s essential. With AI now in the hands of fraudsters, financial scams are becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect. People need to be better equipped not only to manage their money wisely but also to protect themselves from misleading offers and deceptive financial products.

Misunderstanding or overlooking commonly used terms like yield, ETF or equity can lead to costly mistakes – whether that’s misjudging the risk and return of an investment, or simply missing out on opportunities to build long-term wealth. 

Ultimately, understanding these fundamentals can be the difference between financial strain and sustainable wealth growth. It’s not about becoming an expert overnight, but rather building the foundation needed to make sound decisions, ask the right questions, and stay one step ahead.”

You may also be interested in reading how PAs and admin professionals can improve their financial benefits at work as they rank amongst the lowest groups for four out of seven benefit categories.