Brits report saving an estimated £4.43 billion by redeeming rewards over the past year, according to new research from American Express, showing the role reward programmes play in helping households make everyday spending go further.

With millions of Cardmembers worldwide able to earn and redeem rewards through its Cards, American Express has commissioned the first American Express Rewards Report 2026 to explore how the UK’s rewards landscape is evolving, from how consumers earn and redeem rewards to the role they now play in everyday financial decision-making.

Based on a survey of 4,000 UK adults, the report reveals that nine in 10 (90%) consumers are signed up to at least one reward programme, with the average Brit surveyed belonging to 12 different schemes spanning supermarkets and high street retailers, food and drink, local traders and independent businesses, travel, credit cards and third-party cashback sites.

Caroline Bouvet, Vice President of Products and Partnerships at American Express, said: “Our new American Express Rewards Report shows that rewards have become much more than an occasional perk. Consumers are looking to get more value from the money they’re already spending, whether that’s helping to reduce the cost of the weekly shop, saving towards a holiday or unlocking experiences they might not otherwise have enjoyed.

“We know our Cardmembers want rewards to be flexible, accessible and relevant to the way they live and spend and this is why we see such strong engagement with our reward products.”

Rewards become an everyday money-saving tool
Reward members are increasingly using rewards to manage their household finances. Four in 10 (40%) of those surveyed use rewards to lower the cost of everyday spending, while 37% use them to get better value from their planned purchases. One in five (21%) think of their rewards as an extra savings pot or rainy-day fund that they can draw on when needed.

The findings suggest that rewards are factored into consumers’ everyday spending habits. Loyalty programme members surveyed estimate they earn rewards on more than a third (35%) of their spending, with nearly half (46%) saying that earning and redeeming rewards is embedded into their daily lives.

Brits surveyed were most likely to belong to programmes provided by supermarkets (87%) and high street retailers (66%), followed by food and drink chains (50%) and reward or cashback credit cards (44%).

Loyalty programme rewards go beyond everyday savings
Across the full range of loyalty programmes included in the research, members surveyed who redeem rewards estimate they saved an average of £132.30 over the past 12 months. The top 5% of those who redeem rewards estimate that they saved £797.50 on average.

However, this figure does not include the highly valued wider perks and benefits received by 59% of loyalty programme members surveyed, such as travel upgrades or access to exclusive events, lounges or members-only areas.

More than a third (35%) of members surveyed agree that reward programmes are more valuable when they offer additional benefits or perks, with 32% saying that these additional perks and benefits allow them to unlock experiences they could not usually have. A quarter (26%) even say their perks and benefits give them a chance to have ‘once in a lifetime experiences’.

As well as the financial value, reward programmes help consumers feel more positive about how they manage their money. Three quarters (74%) of programme members surveyed say they are satisfied they are making the most of their reward programmes.