Having dropped by 3% from £2,066 to £2,003 in the first half of 2012, family income has risen consistently in the subsequent 18 months.

The typical UK family now brings in 12% more each month than in January 2011 when it took home £1,937.

The survey of 2,098 people aged 18-55 found that the percentage of families surviving on less than £1,250 a month has remained stable at 20% in the last six months, down from 31% in January 2011.

The percentage receiving more than £2,500 net income each month was also unchanged in December 2013 at 34%.

Despite growing incomes, savings by UK families fell by £5 between July and December to £91, but this is still the second largest monthly sum saved by families over the last three years.

Worryingly, December saw more families saving nothing each month compared with July (32% vs. 31%).

The picture is more positive when considering the different family types. Single parents with children – the family type with the lowest incomes – appear to have made increasing efforts to review their savings habits.

While this particular family group is still the least likely to save on a monthly basis, the percentage regularly saving nothing has fallen from 59% to 50% since July

Louise Colley, protection distribution director at Aviva, said: “The savings message has clearly spurred a growing number of families into action and it bodes well for the future that more families than ever have some form of savings put away in December 2013. Even so, with slightly less being saved each month by some families, there is plenty still to do to establish a full-blown savings culture among UK families. Better savings rates on the horizon will help this aim, but in the meantime those with money to invest are understandably more attracted by the higher returns available from bonds and shares.”