LONDON (AP): Britons have been putting away less savings from their paychecks every autumn since 2005, and nearly half are planning to save even less this winter as they struggle to stay afloat amid the economic downturn, according to a survey published onFriday by a British savings organization backed by the country's Treasury.
The National Savings and Investments' quarterly savings survey revealed that Britons saved an average of 6.4 percent of their income _ or 87.23 pounds ($130.16) _ during the September to November quarter of this year.
In the same quarter of last year, they saved an average of 6.8 percent of their incomes, or 91.10 pounds. In autumn 2005, Britons' saved an average of 7.2 percent of their incomes.
The survey, which interviewed 3,045 British adults between Sept. 6 and Nov. 2, showed that the amount Britons are saving is likely to fall even lower in the coming months as the economic downturn squeezes household budgets.
Of those surveyed, 45 percent said they would probably save less this winter than they did in the autumn, compared to just 18 percent who said they were likely to save more.
The survey said that Britons' widely view their lack of savings as a problem, with a third of those interviewed concerned that they would not have enough money to cope in an emergency.
``Even those with good savings habits are feeling more of a pinch in the current economic climate,'' National Savings and Investments said in its report accompanying the survey results.
However, as Britons are saving less, they are also borrowing less _ an indication that many people may be paying for their living expenses upfront as the cost of unsecured loans and mortgages increase as a result of the credit crunch.
Earlier this month, the Bank of England published figures showing that net lending to individuals grew by 1.3 billion pounds ($2 billion) in October _ just a third of the previous six-month average of 3.6 billion pounds.