| UK workers, especially Gen X, increasingly want time away from work to focus on health and wellbeing | Affordability and lack of employer support are cited as major obstacles | Property accounts for a significant portion of estate value across the UK, particularly in London |
Sabbaticals on the rise with Gen X leading
Research1 has highlighted a growing shift in UK work-life priorities, with Gen X (those born between 1965 and 1980) driving the change. Twice as many UK workers want to take sabbaticals than have actually taken one, underlining a clear gap between aspiration and reality.
Health and wellbeing are the top motivators for taking some time out, to recharge and reflect. However, affordability (45%) and other barriers, such as lack of employer support (22%), are holding people back.
Four times as many Gen Xers would like to take time out through a sabbatical than have put it into practice, despite being the least likely generation to say they enjoy their job.
Property wealth drives IHT burden
Property wealth accounts for a significant share of IHT-paying estates, particularly in London, where it represents 47% of total estate value, according to a new report2. Comparable figures stand at 42% in the South East and East of England, 36% South West and 33% East Midlands, with most regions reporting property making up around a third or more of taxable estates. In the 2022/23 financial year (the most recent data available), the average property value within London estates exceeded £862,000, contributing to an overall average estate value of more than £1.6m.
1Aegon 2025, 2FOI 2026
The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate Will writing, tax and trust advice and certain forms of estate planning. Tax legislation and rates can change, and their application depends on individual circumstances.