- A catio for the cats
- Trip to Paris
- Saving for university
- Driving lessons
- First flat deposit
- A new bike
- Engagement ring
- Christmas presents
Emergency fund
Research suggests that neurodivergent people can face additional challenges when it comes to managing their money, with some experiencing higher levels of financial stress.
Managing money involves more than knowing what comes in and what goes out. It requires planning, making decisions, remembering things, processing information and often communicating with financial providers.
For some neurodivergent people, differences in areas such as executive function, information processing and communication preferences can make these tasks more challenging.
Sometimes, it's not the money itself that's difficult, but the processes involved in managing it.
Research published by StepChange and Equifax in 2025 highlights some of these difficulties.
Of the neurodivergent people surveyed who were experiencing problem debt, 92% reported feeling overwhelmed by money management, while 70% found making long-term financial plans difficult.
The research also identified challenges with remembering payment dates, tracking spending and completing paperwork.
Saving is a particularly useful example of how seemingly straightforward financial tasks can involve additional complexities for neurodivergent people.
It can mean researching and comparing savings accounts, understanding financial information, completing forms, communicating with providers, remembering to transfer money each payday and keeping that money set aside for its intended purpose.
Differences in processing styles might make comparing and choosing an account overwhelming and stop someone from even starting. Reading complicated information or completing forms can create additional barriers, while communicating with a provider or asking for help can be more difficult.
And even once an account is open, remembering to transfer money regularly and keeping savings separate from everyday spending isn't always straightforward.
Having savings doesn't automatically mean someone has less financial stress, but having a financial buffer can help build financial resilience and support financial wellbeing. Research from the University of Bristol, published in 2025, found that people with ÂŁ200 to ÂŁ499 in savings experienced lower rates of financial hardship than those with less than ÂŁ200 saved.
How payroll savings can help
For employers looking to support their neurodivergent employees, payroll savings is one way to help reduce some of these difficulties. One of the biggest advantages of providers such as Sync Savings is how straightforward they can make getting started.
With the employer having already selected the savings provider and much of the administration handled behind the scenes, employees can enrol through a simplified digital process.
For neurodivergent employees, this can reduce several barriers before they've even started saving, including the need to research providers, complete application forms or communicate directly with a savings provider.
And once they're enrolled, a chosen amount is automatically deducted from their salary and paid into a separate savings account.
This approach can offer several benefits.
Automation removes the need to remember. Once it's set up, saving happens without requiring repeated decisions or actions every payday.
Money is saved before it reaches their bank account. Because contributions are deducted directly from salary, the money is effectively saved before an employee sees it. It doesn't become part of what they're used to having available to spend, making it easier to put money aside.
Keeping savings separate creates a useful barrier. Having savings in a separate account helps distinguish money intended for the future from money available to spend. It also introduces an extra step before withdrawing savings, which may help reduce unplanned withdrawals.
Named savings pots make goals more tangible. Whether it's Christmas, car repairs or an emergency fund, giving money a purpose can make it easier to organise savings and remember what they're for.
Flexibility matters too. Being able to easily change, pause or stop contributions means employees can adapt their saving to their circumstances while keeping their savings accessible when needed.
Research from Monzo and YouGov found that 76% of respondents with ADHD considered automatic ways to set money aside, such as savings pots, helpful or very helpful.
None of these benefits are exclusive to neurodivergent people. Simpler processes, fewer decisions and automation can help everyone who wants to save.
But for employees who find saving more challenging, these features could make a particularly meaningful difference to getting started, saving regularly and staying on track, helping to build their financial resilience.
Supporting neuroinclusion
By removing some of the barriers, payroll savings can offer practical support to neurodivergent employees and their financial wellbeing.
For employers looking to strengthen their wider neuroinclusion initiatives, it's a practical example of how solutions already available can sometimes help support those efforts.
Abby Birch is a Financial Wellbeing Specialist and Neurodivergent Money Expert, rethinking financial wellbeing and money support for neurodivergent people.
