Households in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bath and Bristol are among those in the UK who put the lowest proportion of their available resources into savings, new figures suggest.

A financial support charity warned it has become increasingly difficult for many households across the country to save money during the cost-of-living crisis, and called on the Government to offer more financial support.

New data from the Office for National Statistics shows on average, UK households put 8% of their available resources into savings in 2022.

It was down from 12% in 2021 and 17% in 2020, which were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but up from 6% in 2019 pre-pandemic.

Households' available resources include their disposable income and any pension entitlements they may benefit from.

The saving ratio of a household is the percentage of the total resources remaining after all spending has occurred.

A negative saving ratio indicates a household spent more money than it had available in that year, reducing their overall balance of savings.

Households in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bath and Bristol put an average of 1% of their available resources into savings in 2022 – down slightly from 3% in 2021 but up from negative 1% in 2019 before the pandemic.

The data also shows great disparities in saving across the UK. Households in West Inner London saved an average of 37% of their available resources in 2022, while households in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly had a saving ratio of negative 12%.

Grace Brownfield, head of influencing and communications at the Money Advice Trust, which runs National Debtline, said: "When people face hits to their income or need to cover a large, or unexpected essential cost, savings can be a vital lifeline.

"Being able to draw on savings means people are less likely to have to rely on expensive credit, which creates a higher risk of falling into debt."

However, she warned putting money into savings has become increasingly difficult for many households across the UK, who see their finances affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

"Helping people afford the basics and supporting them to build a savings safety net should be key priorities for this Government," she added.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "Millions of households are on a financial knife edge, desperately exposed to even the smallest of bill increases.

"Rising prices and no respite from economic blows have chipped away at finances, leaving people without a safety net and even less able to cope with future crises than they were before the pandemic."

She called for more financial support for those who need it the most, including disabled people and households facing hardship, as well as for those who face financial pressures linked to rising costs of rent and energy bills.