Tools and data
Historical returns explorer: UK shares vs cash since 1871
Pick any start and end year and see what the same money became in UK shares and in cash, before or after inflation.
By The Off-Duty Economist Last reviewed Free, no sign-up, nothing stored
The short version
- Choose a start year, an end year and an amount. The explorer shows what it became in UK shares and in cash.
- Switch "after inflation" on to see what the money could actually buy.
- Try a bad start, such as 1973 or 2000, and see how long recovery took.
How to read the results
- After inflation shows what the money could buy, in the prices of your start year. This is the honest measure for long periods.
- In pounds shows the number on the statement. Over long periods inflation makes this look far better than it was.
- Best and worst year shows the range of single-year returns for shares within your period, a reminder of the ride along the way.
For the overall odds, rather than one period at a time, see Will I lose money? and What inflation does to cash.
About the data
- UK shares: the stock market’s total return, with dividends reinvested, before fees and tax. An index ETF would trail this by its small annual fee.
- Cash: the interest on short-term government bills, a standard stand-in for savings.
- Inflation: the UK consumer price index.
- Calendar years from 1871 to 2020, from the Jordà-Schularick-Taylor Macrohistory Database (release 6), licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Nothing you choose is sent anywhere.
This tool shows what happened in the past. It isn't a forecast or advice about what you should do. Investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you put in. Read the full disclaimer.