Yorkshire people are saving slightly less – but half think they have enough put by to cope with any unforeseen emergency.

Average savings among people in the region have fallen from 8.08% of income over the winter months to 7.97% now. That represents a fall from £94 to £90.

However, half of savers in the region feel that they have enough money tucked away to be able to cope in an emergency, according to a survey by National Savings & Investments (NS&I).

Just over one in five people in Yorkshire don’t put any money into savings each month – a figure unchanged from the last survey.

But 17% of those think they will be more likely to save in the next three months.

A fifth of women in Yorkshire and Humber admit to not having any savings, compared to just 12% of men. Some 55% of male savers feel they have enough money to cope in an emergency against 45% of women savers.

A third of women admit to not making any savings each month compared with 11% of men.

However, 16% of women and 17% of men think they will be more likely to save in the coming three months.

John Prout, NS&I retail customer director, said the survey presented an unsettled picture “with unusual savings behaviour.”

Savings levels had fallen from the high levels previously recorded while women were under the most pressure financially to save cash.

Nationally, the picture was not encouraging with savings levels dropping “significantly” from 8.09% of income to 6.89% – £104 to £88.

Mr Prout said: “This is the lowest monetary figure saved for a year and the lowest percentage of income saved since autumn, 2010. This indicates a seasonal trend. A decrease in savings levels between the winter months and spring has been apparent over the last two years.”

Savings levels fell for most age ranges – except among 35 to 44-year-olds.

The most dramatic drop was for 15 to 34-year-olds, but those aged 45 to 54 saved the least per head at £78 – the lowest since the survey began in 2004.