The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than was paid in.

What is your attitude to investment risk?

By making the decision to invest, you're giving your money more chance to grow than if you're just saving it. How much risk you take will affect how your money will grow so it's important to understand how much you're willing and able to take.

All investments come with a level of risk and don't always perform as expected. This is why you need to make sure you're making the choice that's right for you.

It’s also worth thinking about how much money you’d be comfortable losing. This is called your capacity for loss.

How to assess your attitude to risk

The questionnaire below can help you understand how much risk you’re comfortable taking. Investing might not be for you if you aren’t happy to take any investment risk at all.

It’s been developed by Oxford Risk, an independent team of leading psychology academics originating from Oxford University.

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The questionnaire will help you decide your attitude to investment risk. Keep in mind that there are some things to know before you use it:

  • The results are only a guide
  • It doesn’t take into account things like your life stage, financial goals or capacity for loss
  • Risk is just one of the things you need to think about when making investment choices. You should also think about how long you’re investing for and if you might want to take your money before that
  • You could think about getting financial advice if you’re still unsure. You’ll probably have to pay for this
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