Sharesave Participation Falls to Historic Lows, Prompting Concern for Workers’ Savings
London, UK – On Thursday, November 27, 2025, concerns were raised over the decreasing participation in one of the UK’s most widely used all-employee savings schemes, Sharesave. This comes after the HM Government finally published its long-overdue responses to the 2023 call for evidence on employee share schemes, revealing a significant decline in participation. In response, fintech company ShareMore has announced a new funding round to address this issue and promote wider access to Sharesave.
Introduced in the early 1980s, Sharesave allows employees to save monthly and receive share options at maturity. However, with rising living costs, the ability for workers to set aside money for savings has diminished, resulting in a decline in participation. This decline has caught the attention of MPs and Treasury Select Committee members, who are questioning whether lower-income workers are being priced out of the scheme.
Industry groups, including ProShare, have also expressed concern over the affordability barrier and have urged policymakers and employers to consider optional support mechanisms to maintain broad participation in Sharesave.
In response to these concerns, ShareMore has opened an EIS-eligible fundraising round. The company aims to address the affordability gap without requiring changes to employer processes or to Sharesave itself. ShareMore enables employees to participate in their employer’s existing Sharesave plan through payroll under standard rules and protections. Workers who cannot afford monthly contributions can opt for support of up to £100 per month. This support is not a loan, carries no interest, and is not repayable if the plan ends without a gain or if the employee leaves the company early.
The company has engaged with employers, administrators, and share-plan specialists across various sectors ahead of its launch. Interest in the service reflects the broader concern over the long-term future of Sharesave participation and the impact of affordability pressures on employee access. Workers from across the country have also registered to receive updates as the service prepares to launch.
ShareMore’s operating model was developed with input from a leading international law firm and sits entirely outside existing Sharesave plans. It does not alter employer responsibilities, scheme administration, or regulatory categorization. Employers continue to run their plans as normal, and employees participate under existing rules.
The leadership team of ShareMore brings together experience from public-market finance, financial technology, data science, and institutional banking. All four founders have personally experienced the benefits of Sharesave during their careers, giving the mission both professional credibility and a deep personal commitment.
The idea for ShareMore emerged from the founders’ personal experience with Sharesave, where they had seen how transformational the scheme could be for those who could participate, but also how many were forced to opt-out due to financial constraints. This combination of personal insight and professional experience became the catalyst for ShareMore’s mission to ensure Sharesave remains an accessible, broad-based savings opportunity.
Funds raised through the EIS round will support ShareMore’s national rollout, compliance operations, and financial education initiatives. Support for employees will be financed through regulated lending partners rather than investor capital.
Employees can check if their employer offers a Sharesave plan and register for updates via the ShareMore website. ShareMore also invites employers, share-plan administrators, regulators, and policymakers to request briefings on ShareMore’s operating model and approach.
For more information, please contact info@sharemore.co.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.