Creating inclusive experiences: Meeting the needs of vulnerable consumers in 2025

As the scale and complexity of consumer vulnerability continue to grow, business leaders are under pressure to respond in a way that’s empathetic and ethical. But, as our 2025 Vulnerable Customer Report shows, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all – and agents can only succeed at scale with help from the right technology.

Consumer vulnerability is complex and often hidden, making it increasingly difficult to detect subtle signs. While awareness is growing, most vulnerable consumers do not self-identify as such. Even when they do self-identify, vulnerable consumers are largely hesitant to disclose their situations and strongly prefer digital self-service channels. Business leaders must rethink their approach—moving beyond identification to creating personalised customer journeys, offering tailored support, and ensuring compliance.

Understanding the true face of consumer vulnerability

In the past few years, consumer vulnerability has been a significant priority across numerous industries. Leading the charge, the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) implemented its Consumer Duty in 2023 to drive standards in the financial services sector.

As part of this guidance, the FCA identified four drivers of vulnerability:

1. Health issues including mental and physical illness
2. Life events including bereavement and job loss
3. Low resilience and an inability to withstand financial or emotional shock
4. Low capability and confidence in managing money or dealing with financial matters

Revisiting our landmark 2024 report, our newly released report The Changing Face of Vulnerability asked more than 2,000 consumers about their circumstances, potential vulnerability, and how customer service needs to evolve to meet their needs.

The rising tide of consumer vulnerability

While our 2025 data shows improvement in some aspects of awareness, the breadth and diversity of consumer vulnerability remain difficult to keep up with.

1. Previously hidden faces of vulnerability are coming to light

Our research highlights seven hidden faces of consumer vulnerability, including two new groups: energy agonisers (the millions falling behind on energy bills) and support seekers (people reliant on government services to stay afloat). While these groups have potential vulnerability in common, their needs are distinct and diverse.

Almost one-third of support seekers (29%) told us they had missed payments in the past twelve months, putting them at risk of a financial snowball effect. For energy agonisers, mental health is a key concern – 29% said they suffered from poor mental health, but more than 50% would be uncomfortable discussing this with an advisor.

While identifying the signs of vulnerability is key, you also need to understand the nature of that vulnerability, so you can deliver relevant, personalised support based on what your customers need.

2. Awareness is increasing for younger consumers

Compared to just 19% across all age groups, 31% of potentially vulnerable consumers under the age of 34 identify as vulnerable. This reflects an improvement in awareness and understanding of what makes somebody potentially vulnerable and is positive news for business leaders striving to recognise vulnerability more accurately.

Some consumers, particularly those in younger age groups, may identify themselves as vulnerable. However, this doesn’t necessarily make them willing to discuss or disclose their vulnerability. Fear, embarrassment, and shame are powerful barriers between vulnerable consumers and the appropriate support.

3. Many consumers face pressure from energy & utilities

For the people we surveyed, energy and utility bills were the single most consistent source of financial pressure. Consumers are struggling to meet energy bills in huge numbers and 35% anticipate reducing or stopping their heating and hot water usage this year. With continued price increases expected throughout 2025, the problem looks set to intensify.

The overwhelming scale of financial pressure from energy & utility bills means consumers who wouldn’t conventionally be considered vulnerable may now need extra support. That’s why a proactive approach using AI and automation is essential to ensure nobody is overlooked.

4. Vulnerable consumers want better digital self-service

While every customer wants to be in control of the channels they use and how they engage with customer service, vulnerable consumers show a strong preference for digital services like AI-powered chatbots. Over a third (37%) would prefer organisations to invest in these services, even over traditional brick-and-mortar services.

For consumers who feel uncomfortable discussing their vulnerability face-to-face, self-service digital channels are a welcome alternative that may increase engagement and transparency. Investing in these channels provides a lifeline to vulnerable consumers while increasing your ability to identify and respond to their unique needs.

How AI and automation can help

When it comes to vulnerable consumers, there’s no room for error. But if advisors are left to detect the subtle cues of vulnerability using their soft skills and intuition alone, it’s inevitable that some vulnerable consumers will be overlooked. So how can intelligent technology, purpose built for CX and vulnerability, help you stay ahead?

1. Detect the signs of vulnerability

Spotting the signs of a potentially vulnerable customer is a complex. Vulnerability stems from an increasing range of factors— from financial pressures to personal challenges—making it harder to recognise, even for themselves. Subtle cues, such as mentions of stress or relationship breakdowns, often surface during customer service interactions but are easily missed or affected by bias, particularly with human agents. AI and automation provide a critical solution. By analysing customer service data, AI can detect vulnerability during every interaction, and on every channel, and provide agents with real-time guidance —ensuring no one is overlooked.

2. Empower your advisors to act with empathy

While digital channels are on the rise, there’s no substitute for the human touch. But while we choose advisors for their soft skills, they can only act based on the information they have. When so many customers feel uncomfortable discussing potential drivers of vulnerability, your advisors are missing a vital part of the picture.

When your channels are unified, siloes are removed, and everything flows through the same platform, it’s easier to get a more complete, joined-up view – both on a management level and with real-time guidance to inform and support your advisors. This is a critical link in the chain, from recognising vulnerability to helping your teams act on these signs with confidence.

3. Empower vulnerable consumers with channel choice

The anonymity offered by digital channels can be especially empowering for vulnerable individuals who may feel uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues face-to-face. This presents a significant opportunity for UK organisations to leverage AI-powered chatbots and agents to help vulnerable customers resolve their issues quickly and accurately.

For instance, those facing financial hardship may feel more comfortable engaging with a bot rather than a human advisor, as it eliminates feelings of embarrassment or stigma. Beyond personal finance, AI agents can also play a key role in handling emotionally taxing processes, such as managing bereavement-related administrative tasks, reducing the need for repetitive, distressing conversations.

Yet, caution is essential. These solutions must also be able to detect subtle vulnerability cues and respond appropriately, seamlessly escalate to a human agent or the correct workflow with full context preserved. These insights should be used alongside data from voice channels to enhance agent training and support.

See how NICE enables a smarter approach to vulnerable consumers

Our 2025 research report, The Changing Face of Vulnerability, takes an in-depth look at the key challenges facing vulnerable consumers and how business leaders can elevate customer service to deliver exceptional, empathetic experiences.

The report also explores how our cutting-edge solutions can help: NICE CXone Mpower – the ultimate AI platform for automating customer service at an unprecedented scale; and Enlighten AI for Vulnerable Customers – our purpose-built AI designed to detect vulnerability in line with FCA criteria.

Read the full report now.

Learn more about CXone Mpower and Enlighten AI for Vulnerable Customers.