A snapshot answers what you own minus what you owe on a particular date. A cashflow plan answers a different question: can money arriving cover the payments due? You need both. A valuable house does not make cash available for tomorrow’s bill.

Start with a dated list of assets and liabilities, marking estimates and money you cannot readily access. The purpose is to find questions worth checking, not to score your worth as a person.

This course explains UK money mechanics. For help with your own situation, MoneyHelper (opens in a new tab) offers free guidance and routes to debt advice. Personal investment or pension recommendations require a suitably authorised adviser.