Young Brits are planning for their future and considering debt management, it is suggested.

They know that saving is important and plan for future purchases, states Maxine Norris, head of Natwest MoneySense for Schools.

Young people are not deaf to all the talk about the recession and the credit crunch and are becoming more realistic in their aspirations for the future, she explains.

"We also see quite a lot of children who are putting money away for college and higher education, which is always reassuring as it means they are even more forward thinking than the others," Ms Norris continues.

According to research by the body, 86 per cent of youngsters keep track of their money, up from 79 per cent last year.

More than two-thirds also say they know more about debt management than they did 12 months ago, which could be due to media reports and parents being more open about finances.