In a US survey, 76% of Gen Z who fronted money for a group expense say they weren't fully repaid. If a friend owes you a fiver, do you chase it or let it go?
A BBC report published on 25 September asked young people in New York and the UK how small a debt is too small to ask a friend to repay. Thresholds ranged from about $5 to $20, and several said a friend who never pays matters more than the amount.
What happened
A BBC report published on 25 September asked students in New York, and a British student, what is the smallest sum they would ask a friend to pay back. Answers ranged from $5 (about £3.70) to around $20. It cited a Zelle survey of US consumers, carried out in May and June 2026, which found 76% of Gen Z who had fronted money for a group expense were not fully repaid, and 55% said it caused tension. A 19-year-old British student put her limit at a fiver.
Why people disagree
Some say any money owed should be asked for: money expert Laura Pomfret told the BBC that if you want it back the amount shouldn't matter, and that Britons often fear looking like a cheapskate. Others think chasing small sums costs more in awkwardness than it's worth, preferring to take turns paying and only speaking up when the same friend never pays.
What's still unclear
The Zelle figures come from a US survey commissioned by a payments company, and the BBC interviews are a handful of students, so neither shows how common unpaid small debts are among UK adults or where most people draw the line.
Sources
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