Scots fear loved ones couldn’t cope financially without them

Two-fifths of Scots say they ‘often’ think about what would happen to their family if they passed away. For one in five, it’s a constant worry, and for a similar number (21 per cent) the thought crosses their mind regularly. Amid soaring living costs and household pressures, many fear their families would struggle to stay afloat if the main breadwinner were gone. Even those with life insurance confess they’re haunted by the idea of no longer being there to provide.

A quarter say their biggest financial worry is whether their partner could manage on their own, and 7 per cent believe their loved ones wouldn’t cope financially at all. Well over a third (37 per cent) estimate their partner would only manage for three months or less, while 67 per cent fear their family couldn’t make it financially beyond a year.

The financial implications are significant, with just under half of Scots believing their family would need more than £1,000 a month just to cover basic expenses such as housing, utilities, and food. For 17 per cent, that figure rises to £2,500 or more each month, suggesting that without proper planning, the long-term cost of losing a household income is a real and immediate concern.

In response to these growing concerns, Tesco Insurance and Money Services has announced the launch of what it describes as a simple, affordable and trusted life insurance proposition in conjunction with Aviva UK. The new offering gives Tesco shoppers, and 24 million Tesco Clubcard members, access to life cover designed to protect what matters most, while also benefiting from Tesco’s popular customer rewards.

Ban Mahsoub, partnerships director at Tesco Insurance and Money Services, comments: “The death of a loved one is devastating enough, but for millions of families, financial survival is a very real fear. Our research shows that alongside grief, many are haunted by worries about how their family would manage day-to-day costs and stay afloat without their income. These concerns aren’t just hypothetical; they’re a daily reality for tens of millions facing rising living costs and uncertain futures.”