Squeezed household incomes mean one in eight Britons has no savings while a third have been left with too little cash to cope with an emergency, new research claims.

Some 13% or six million people have no savings, according to research by NS&I, the Government-backed lender, while a quarter added they expected to save less in the next three months.

The survey found that only 26% of people set themselves a savings goal - with most who do saving for a holiday at 37%, a house at 35%, retirement at 21%, a car at 21% and their children's future at 19%.

The research found that on average people in Britain set aside £100.24, or 8.31% of their monthly income each month, with men saving a little more than women.

Tim Mack, savings spokesman at NS&I, said pressures on disposable incomes often prevent people setting aside as much as they would like, though he added there were encouraging signs among the young, with many more 16-24 year olds committed to saving than the 35-44 year old age group.

Latest official figures from the Office of National Statistics highlighted the problems, with the amount of spare money people have left after all their outgoings falling in the first three months of 2011.

The savings ratio - the money left after consumption - fell from 5.1% to 4.6% highlighting the impact inflation is having on households and their finances, the ONS said.