Designing for junior accounts: Best UX practices in the UK
Creating user-friendly junior digital accounts is a critical task for many financial service providers. These accounts are designed for young individuals, typically under 18, providing them with a safe and educational introduction to financial management.
Notably, 44% of adults in the UK believe they would be in a better financial state if they had been taught money management skills from an early age, underscoring the significant need for products that teach children to be financially responsible. These products must be tailored to children's needs, focusing on usability, engagement, and appealing visual design. In this week’s newsletter, we explore best practices for designing junior accounts, provide examples from the UK, discuss recent trends and statistics, and make a comparison with the UAE.
Designing for children 🎨
Children's brains and cognitive abilities differ significantly from those of adults, which must be taken into account when designing digital experiences. The four key areas to focus on are:
👉 Cognitive abilities - Younger children (ages 6-12) think in concrete terms, handling tasks like adding and ordering objects. This age group benefits from simple, tangible interactions like drag-and-drop tasks and visual aids representing financial concepts.
In contrast, adolescents (ages 12-18) develop abstract reasoning, consider multiple viewpoints, and engage in complex thinking. Therefore, this older age group would require more complex features such as budgeting tools, scenario-based learning, and decision-making simulations.
Consequently, UX must be age-appropriate, offering simple, tangible interactions for younger users while incorporating more abstract, critical-thinking features for older teens. This ensures the interface is both engaging and educational at each developmental stage.
👉 Motor skills - When designing for children, it's crucial to account for their motor skills, especially since younger kids often have less developed coordination. Unlike adults with refined motor abilities, children require designs tailored to their physical capabilities, ensuring ease of use and accessibility. This often involves making call-to-action areas larger and within easy reach on the interface for users with smaller fingers and thumbs.
Additionally, designers should use larger buttons and touch targets to accommodate imprecise tapping. Simplified gestures, such as swiping or tapping, should replace complex interactions. Clear visual cues and ample spacing between interactive elements help prevent accidental taps. These considerations ensure a user-friendly experience that aligns with children's motor skills.
👉 Attention span - Children generally have much shorter attention spans than adults, which gradually increase with age. A helpful rule of thumb is that a child's attention span is about two to three minutes per year of their age. For example, a 5-year-old's attention span would typically be between 10 and 15 minutes.
From a UX standpoint, this means designing interfaces and interactions that are concise, engaging, and able to capture attention quickly. Features should be straightforward and tasks should be broken into manageable chunks to maintain engagement and prevent frustration. Engaging visuals, interactive elements, and immediate feedback can help keep young users focused and interested.
👉 Emotional responses -It’s important to consider children's emotional development when designing junior current accounts, as their responses differ significantly from adults. Children often struggle with emotional regulation, exhibiting immediate and intense reactions to stress. To support this, UX design should include calm, reassuring feedback and positive reinforcement during errors or setbacks. Features like visual progress trackers and gentle reminders can help children manage frustration and stay motivated.
Additionally, integrating interactive tutorials and gamified tasks can make financial education engaging and less intimidating. These design elements help children develop emotional regulation skills, creating a supportive and effective financial tool.
"The primary goal is to educate children and help them manage their finances responsibly."
Junior current account vs junior prepaid card
Generally, two types of everyday spending accounts are available to children: junior prepaid card accounts and junior current bank accounts. They differ in the experience for both the child and the parent and are targeted at different age ranges. The key differences are that with prepaid debit cards, the parent applies for the card, and these accounts can be started from age 6. They offer parents spending controls, allowing them to monitor and set limits on spending. However, they usually come with fees and are not typically FSCS-protected.
On the other hand, kids' bank accounts are applied for by the child, usually starting from age 11, and do not have parental spending controls, thus providing more financial independence. These accounts are generally free of charge and are FSCS-protected, ensuring the safety of the deposited funds up to a certain limit. Both types of accounts offer features like instant card-locking through an app, though this is more common with bank accounts.
Best practices in designing junior accounts 📒
Whether it's prepaid cards for younger children or junior current accounts for teens, the fundamental principles remain consistent and require thoughtful design to meet their needs. The application of these principles will vary based on the type of account and the target age group. The primary goal is to educate children and help them manage their finances responsibly.
Here are some key factors to consider when designing for children of all ages.
👉 Simplified user interface - For junior accounts of any type, simplicity is key. The interface should be intuitive, avoiding complex navigation or jargon. Use large buttons, clear icons, and straightforward language. Young users benefit from visual aids like progress bars or gamified elements to make the experience engaging.
Example: The NatWest Rooster Money app in the UK is an excellent example. It features vibrant graphics and clear icons, making it easy for children to navigate and understand. The app's dashboard is uncluttered, with all essential functions easily accessible. Additionally, interactive elements are significantly larger compared to those in the adult version, enhancing usability for young users.
Similarly, Revolut's junior current account offers a simple interface with slightly more detailed features that are easily comprehended by the older age group, making it an effective tool for teens to manage their money.
👉 Educational features - The main purpose for this type of account is to teach young users how to manage their finances responsibly. Integrating educational elements into the account experience can help juniors learn about money management. Features such as financial literacy games, savings goals, and spending trackers can provide practical knowledge.
Example: The HSBC MyMoney app includes educational content tailored to different age groups, teaching users about budgeting and saving in a fun and interactive way.
👉 Parental controls - Parents should oversee young children's accounts to ensure safe usage. This includes setting spending limits, receiving transaction alerts, and having the ability to approve or block specific purchases. Junior accounts aimed at teens may have fewer parental controls compared to prepaid card accounts targeting very young children.
Example: GoHenry, another UK-based solution, provides strong parental controls. Parents can set weekly spending limits, assign chores for pocket money, receive real-time notifications of their child's spending, and even choose which merchants their child can use.
👉 Security and privacy - Given that junior accounts involve minors, robust security and privacy measures are paramount. Utilise secure authentication methods like biometrics or two-factor authentication, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations. Furthermore, reassuring parents that their child's data and safety will be well-protected is essential.
Example: Natwests My rooster's onboarding experience for parents allows them secure control over their child's account, providing necessary protection and controls. Furthermore, the app excels at reassuring parents about the security of their child's data, even providing links to where they can find more information about data protection.
Recent trends and statistics
- Pocket money: 9 in 10 (92%) children receive pocket money with the average being £7.11 a week in the UK.
- Need for education: 1 in 8 (13%) parents admit to never teaching their children about mone.
- Attitudes toward money: Children who have received a meaningful financial education are more confident in managing their money (49%) compared to those who have not (31%).
- Active saving: 52% of children who received a meaningful financial education save money at least monthly, compared to 33% who have not received such education.
- Big players: Fintech giants are moving into the scene with the likes of Revolut (below) already launching an account for under 18’s and Monzo releasing child accounts aimed at 6-11 year olds.
Exploring the dashboard of Revolut's junior account on 11:FS Pulse.
Spotlight on the UAE; comparing junior accounts in the UK and UAE 🌏
Ages to open accounts
👉 UK: In the UK, children can typically open junior current accounts from the age of 11 with parental consent. Prepaid card accounts are available for children starting at age 6.
👉 UAE: In the UAE, junior accounts are available for children from age 8, with most accounts requiring parental oversight until the child turns 18. Some banks, like Emirates NBD, offer specific products for different age ranges, such as their Early Saver Account designed for younger children.
Key players
👉 UK: Major players include NatWest (Rooster Money), HSBC (MyMoney), GoHenry, Revolut Junior, and Monzo. These institutions provide a range of features focused on financial education and parental controls.
👉 UAE: Key banks include Emirates NBD, Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) and Mashreq Bank (Neo NXT). Each of these banks offers tailored products for children with varying benefits and controls.
Parental controls and oversight
👉 UK: Junior accounts offer robust parental controls such as setting spending limits, approving transactions, and receiving real-time notifications of account activity. Apps like GoHenry allow parents to assign chores for pocket money and select which merchants their children can use.
👉 UAE: Similar parental controls are standard, with features like monitoring and managing money digitally, setting allowances, and restricting transaction types. For instance, the YAP app provides detailed parental controls along with financial literacy programmes for children.
Differences in functionality
👉 UK: Accounts like GoHenry and Rooster Money focus on financial education through interactive features and gamification. They also provide strong parental controls and monitoring options.
👉 UAE: UAE junior accounts often integrate cultural and religious considerations, such as compliance with Islamic banking principles. Accounts like the DIB Shaatir Savings Account offer profit-based returns instead of interest, aligning with Sharia law. Additionally, features like missions and savings goals on apps like YAP are designed to teach children about earning and saving money in a culturally relevant context.
Cultural sensitivity and localisation
👉UK: UX design in the UK emphasises engaging visuals, educational content, and gamified elements to make financial learning fun and interactive.👉UAE: In the UAE, designs must also consider cultural norms, such as incorporating Arabic language support and Islamic banking principles. This includes content that aligns with local values and religious practices, providing a culturally sensitive financial education.
Whilst there are differences in the cultural appropriation for different norms across the world, the underlying principles for UX design still apply. The factors outlined here show that experiences for children should be simple, easy to navigate, and include educational tools to teach children to be financially responsible. By considering these factors, UX designers can create junior accounts that effectively cater to the needs of young users, promoting financial literacy and responsible money management from an early age.
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Stay tuned for more updates and happy analysing! 🚀
