One in five UK adults reckon their fear of numbers is holding them back from making their money go further.
And, 19% said the cost-of-living crisis has highlighted their weakness.
The study of 3,000 people by KPMG revealed that 20% of Brits struggle with everyday maths problems, from calculating discounts and negotiating prices, to understanding the terms of a loan.
Nearly a fifth (19%) believe they would be better off financially if they improved their number confidence and were more skilled at setting budgets, understanding interest rates and comparing deals.
However, calculating discounts, understanding the terms of a loan and negotiating prices of things were also the top financial scenarios adults admitted to fearfully dodging due to the numbers involved.
Avoidance tactics extended to financial news, with 29% side-stepping news headlines due to a lack of interest, finding it too complex or simply considering it depressing.
Bina Mehta, Chair at KPMG in the UK, said: “If we want to build a fairer and more inclusive economy, individuals, businesses, policy makers and education leaders all have a crucial role to play in ensuring numeracy skills are prioritised.”
