Introducing the Loqbox and Citizens Advice "Staircase to Adulting"

Have you ever felt like you were trying to play a card game when you don’t know the rules?

For many young adults, that is what managing money feels like. Our new research shows that two out of three young people are losing sleep and feeling stressed because of their finances.

Imagine feeling that pressure when you’re heading off to university, or finding your feet for the first time in the world of work?  It’s a lot to handle, and easy to make mistakes when you don’t have the right foundations to guide you.

We’ve teamed up with Citizens Advice to show young people the real-world steps they can take to improve their credit score, to help young people feel empowered in every money move they make. 

What is the "Staircase to Adulting"?

On Saturday, 18th April, the famous stairs at the Museum of Liverpool looked very different.

An incredibly talented artist, Alicia Woolley, helped us to transform them into the "Staircase to Adulting". Her artwork lined the steps up to the museum to represent small, smart moves someone can take to build a better future, like registering to vote or paying your household bills on time.

Her design moved you confidently forward towards a healthy financial future, one step at a time! That’s progress we love to see. 

Why does it matter?

Young adults have plenty of hurdles to jump over in 2026. Rising prices, student fees, and a highly competitive job market. It's a lot. No wonder then that Gen Zs want to know more about their finances and how to manage them. It's about security and having the right tools for the job.

Recent research from Loqbox suggests that:

• 64% wish they had learned about money before leaving home
• 21% have been told "no" when asking for a credit card because they didn't have a high enough score

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Money in the curriculum 

Taking care of your money, managing bills, and using credit isn’t something you’d learn about in Maths as you prepped for your GCSEs.

They don’t know it until the exams are long over, but young people are unprepared to take key financial steps when they leave school. 

Each ‘first’, from receiving a first payslip or a first bill, can feel daunting. And it’s a confidence gap that follows you around after school into the real world. 

• Nearly 30% said making their first rent payment was their most stressful financial milestone
• But 24% said the most stressful financial milestone was paying their first household bill, followed closely by receiving their first payslip (23%)
• Council Tax is a later shock, with stress rising from 11% for 18 to 20-year-olds to 26% for 27 to 28-year-olds as they take on greater household responsibilities

Spotting the money myths

It’s hard to build your financial sanctuary when the rules of the game feel like a secret. Our research found that lots of "money myths" are causing late-night worries for Gen Z.

Here are a few of these myths:

• Buy Now, Pay Later: Over half (51%) of young adults aren't sure if spreading the cost of a shop affects their credit score. 

The truth? It definitely can.

• Registering to Vote: Only 31% of people think that being on the electoral roll (registering to vote) gives your credit score a boost. 

The truth? It’s one of the easiest changes you can make to improve your score!

• Parking Tickets: One in five people think a parking fine hurts your credit score. 

The truth? Don’t worry. While they aren't fun to get, a standard parking ticket won't touch your credit file.

A Message from our CEO

Tom Eyre, our CEO here at Loqbox, is passionate that young adults across the country have the resources and ability to make sensible money moves. “We give young people big responsibilities before we give them the tools to handle them. We want to make money feel clearer and more human.”

By working with Citizens Advice, we want to help everyone build their own financial sanctuary.

Time to walk up those stairs! 

When you understand the rules of the game you’re playing, you can play to win. 

Every step forward in money should be made with knowledge and support, and lead to a more confident financial future. To begin your credit-building journey, discover how Loqbox works, or for all your money questions, contact Citizens Advice.