Loose change adds up to 1bn

British households are sitting on almost 1 billion of loose change, according to a recent survey commissioned by Jonathan Wren.

12:46 17 August 2005

British households are sitting on almost 1 billion of loose change, according to a recent survey commissioned by Jonathan Wren.

This means that as a nation we have stashed away down the back of sofas, in jars or in pockets enough cash to fund half of the Olympic Games.

88 per cent of the 1,500 people surveyed claimed to have lost at least 10 worth of small change somewhere in their home.

A further 62 per cent estimated they had at least 56 hoarded away in other places around the house.

It could be said that the survey reveals sheer the laziness or apathy of the country, showing that less than a quarter of those questioned intend to do anything with this money.

According to Philip Marks, managing director of the banking and finance recruitment company, this attitude is "leaving us poorer than we should be".

Men, it seems, are the most negligent with their loose change, accounting for 73 per cent of the cash lost in households.

In light of the findings, people are being urged to take more care over their finances and to try to store all loose change in one specific place.