Generation Nowhere?

• Survey of over 6,000 UK people finds 78% of Gen Z say it’s important to be part of the local community.
• 70% of Gen Z say their community is a good place to live and there are high levels of optimism for the future. 
• Two thirds (67%) of Gen Z trust their neighbours and 58% would like to do more work locally.
• When it comes to engaging with community activities, over a third (38%) of Gen Z help their neighbours, a quarter (25%) volunteer for local charities and a fifth (22%) attend or help out at their local church, temple or mosque.

7 July 2025, LONDON: A new study by Aviva debunks the myth that Gen Z is a disconnected generation focused on their online lives. In fact, 78% of Gen Z respondents say it’s important to be part of the local community and 58% would like to work more in their local community if they had the option – ahead of other age groups surveyed (Millennials: 53%, Gen X: 37%).

Aviva surveyed more than 6,000 adults nationwide, and the results reveal seven in ten (70%) Gen Z respondents say their local community is a good place to live today, 62% are proud to be part of their local community, while two thirds of Gen Z think their communities are friendly (69%) and trust their neighbours (67%). 

Encouragingly, two thirds are also confident their local community will be a good place to live in five years’ time (65%), as well as being a good place to live for the next generation (65%).

Instead of living up to generational stereotypes of spending all their time online, Aviva’s research reveals Gen Z are deeply engaged in their communities. Nearly four in ten (38%) report helping their neighbours, 39% buy from independent shops, a quarter (25%) volunteer for local charities and a fifth (22%) attend or help out at their local church, temple or mosque.  

Supporting the view that many Gen Zs are health conscious, 25% of Gen Z say they want more gyms, sports and fitness facilities in their local community. Additionally, 21% would like more retail stores, while a similar number are eager for more restaurants and cafes (20%).

Gen Zs also place huge emphasis on parks and nature reserves, with 86% saying it’s important to have access to public green spaces - yet only 21% feel positive about their access to them. It’s even more important for this generation, given that more than two thirds (68%) report lacking outdoor space at home.  

David Schofield, Director of Sustainability at Aviva says: “While there may be a perception that Gen Z is focused on life online, in fact, home is where the heart is. They want to be a part of their local communities and even work locally – and they are optimistic about the future. 

“The UK faces challenges but also has great opportunities and it’s clear Gen Z want to step up and help get ready for a bright future. At Aviva, we are here to help young people unlock their potential, for example, giving young people job-focused training and employment opportunities through our partnerships with Norwich City College, The Place (York), Sheffield City Council and Business in the Community.”

How Aviva is supporting Gen Z and the UK in 2025

• Aviva has been taking care of people  for over 300 years, helping  customers though industrial and digital revolutions, and  is committed to supporting people to get ready for the future with confidence. As a major insurance, wealth and retirement business, Aviva touches many aspects of people’s lives in communities around the country and works to help create a secure future for the people of the UK.
• The Aviva Foundry in Norwich, See It Be It programme in Sheffield and ‘The Place’ in York provide career guidance, mentoring, and skills training to help young people access local employment. 
• Young people frequently use TikTok to source information about personal finance so @AvivaUK set up its own TikTok page to share financial messages to a wide and diverse audience. Forty per cent of its viewership on TikTok are aged 18-34 and the page accrued 10,000 viewers within a few months of launch.
• Aviva launched its Wealth Academy to support a younger audience to train as advisers and broaden the skillset of roles in finance to increase employability.
• Aviva has an ambition to invest £25 billion in the UK over the next 10 years, including in critical areas such as social housing, schools, hospitals and sustainable energy projects. Aviva is reinvesting an average of 2% of group adjusted operating profit annually back into communities: in 2024 this totalled £32.9m.
• Aviva is taking a place-based approach to build stronger, inclusive communities at a local level and is the Founding Place Partner for the King’s Responsible Business Network (BITC), supporting BITC’s ambition to improve 50 communities by 2032. 
• Aviva has invested £13 million with Citizens Advice and Money Advice Trust to help them help more people and support small businesses through cost-of-living challenges. 

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Enquiries:

Media: Sarah Poulter: sarah.poulter@aviva.com / 07800 691569

Annabelle Torr, Edelman: annabelle.torr@edelman.com / 07854 348944

Lily Boyton, Edelman: lily.boyton@edelman.com

_Notes:

_{*Study asked people living in Greater London.} 

_{More about the research: The study, commissioned by Aviva, was conducted by Edelman DJE. The self-completion online survey was hosted by Potentia Insight among N=6,089 members of the public living across the United Kingdom, nationally representative by age, gender, region and ethnicity. The research was undertaken from the 31st March to the 21st April 2025, and surveyed Gen Z between the ages of 18-28 years old.}