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Compare essential-spending target amounts with your accessible savings and model a simple cash-runway stress test.
· UK household cash-planning illustration.
Cash reserve planning summary
3.3 months of essentials
This stress test starts after a £0 one-off cost and subtracts the monthly essential-spending shortfall after £0 of entered income.
Editable sample: £3,000 monthly essentials, £10,000 accessible savings, £250 monthly saving, £0 disruption income and a six-month target.
Reference amounts for 3, 6 and 9 months, compared with the accessible savings amount you entered.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| 3 months of essentials | £9,000 |
| 6 months of essentials | £18,000 |
| 9 months of essentials | £27,000 |
| Accessible savings entered | £10,000 |
Starts after the one-off cost, then subtracts only the monthly essential-spending shortfall entered. No interest, benefit waiting-period schedule or discretionary cuts are modeled.
| Point | Accessible reserve |
|---|---|
| After one-off cost | £10,000 |
| Month 1 | £7,000 |
| Month 2 | £4,000 |
| Month 3 | £1,000 |
| Month 4 | £0 |
| Month 5 | £0 |
| Month 6 | £0 |
| Month 7 | £0 |
| Month 8 | £0 |
| Month 9 | £0 |
| Month 10 | £0 |
| Month 11 | £0 |
| Month 12 | £0 |
Months to close the current target gap at the entered monthly saving pace, compared with £100 and £250 examples; no interest or inflation is included.
| Monthly saving pace | Months |
|---|---|
| £100/month | 80 |
| £250/month | 32 |
Compare the target gap with a monthly amount that fits your budget, keep urgent cash accessible and low risk, and revisit the assumptions when costs or income change. This is not a savings instruction or a guarantee that a given reserve will cover an emergency.
UK household cash-planning illustration; not a tax or benefit calculator.
MoneyHelper describes three to six months of essential outgoings as a common starting point. This UK planner compares editable target horizons with your cash and models one simplified monthly shortfall.
Enter monthly essential costs, accessible savings, the amount you can save, monthly income you expect during a disruption, and an optional one-off cost. The target gap and time-to-target use no interest or inflation.
The cash runway starts after the one-off cost, then subtracts essential spending less entered monthly income. It does not model benefit eligibility, insurance wording or timing, debt repayment, investment returns, devolved tax or a household budget. This is a planning illustration, not personal financial advice.
The GOV.UK signpost below leads to free, independent MoneyHelper guidance from the Money and Pensions Service; MoneyHelper and NS&I provide the emergency-savings, insurance and account-access details referenced here. This result is a personal planning estimate, not a universal recommendation.