Most Hungarian Adults Feel Financially Insecure

Inflation remains the biggest risk, while cutting consumption is the most common crisis management tool, according to the Provident Barometer, a representative survey of the Hungarian population commissioned by Provident.

The results of the research, which will now be conducted quarterly, also show that financial insecurity is associated with low levels of financial awareness, which makes personalized financial advice particularly valuable.

Financial security is a privilege of the few in Hungary: the vast majority of the population (89%) perceive existential insecurity, while only a few percent of the adult population feel financially secure. Inflation remains the main fear, cited by over a third of respondents (36%) as the main financial threat. Financial security in old age is the second biggest fear, with one in four (24%) worried that their pension will not cover their expenses in old age. Fear of losing a job (15%) or a long-term illness (14%) is also a source of stress for respondents. These are the main findings of a representative Provident Barometer survey of the national population aged 18 and over.

The Provident Barometer aims to survey and analyze the financial behavior of Hungarian consumers at regular intervals.  The survey, based on a representative sample, was carried out in April 2025 by Ipsos using an online self-completion questionnaire method, interviewing 1,000 Hungarian adults.

The responses also highlighted a number of demographic differences. Job loss is a major concern for younger people, while the financial situation in old age is understandably a major concern for people aged 50+ and women. Men and those on higher incomes are most anxious about ill health and its financial risks.

While only one in ten of those surveyed feels financially secure, for the rest, fear of insecurity is associated with low financial awareness. A quarter of respondents do not seek financial advice even in times of financial crisis, when the economic situation (e.g. due to an external crisis or a sudden rise in prices) changes significantly in a short period of time. And those who do want information most often turn to family and friends (41%) or search the internet, social media and influencers (21%). Only one fifth of adults are guided by articles and statements by economic analysts and prominent economists, and even fewer, 15%, seek financial advice.

The survey's data for the future point to a strong economic gloom. In the short term, two thirds (65%) of respondents expect their purchasing power to fall, and only 14% expect an improvement. Also two thirds (66%) are preparing to save on consumption in anticipation of an uncertain future. Only 8% of respondents plan to increase personal consumption, according to the survey. Compared with the above, it is almost a sign of optimism that when asked what their financial situation will be like in a year's time, only a relative majority (45%) said it will be worse. 23% expect improvement, and nearly a third (32%) expect their financial situation to remain unchanged.

"While financial uncertainty pervades many people's lives, conscious planning and reliable information can be the first step towards a more predictable future. This research has not only made tangible the risks that the adult population perceives and weighs when assessing their financial situation, but also the information gap in society and the importance of continuing to focus on developing financial awareness," the Director of Corporate Relations and Communications at Provident, Márta Pálfalvi, said.