The cost of convenience: how Britain is buying back its time
Discover how much time the average person saves each week using time-saving services – and what Britain’s growing ‘time debt’ tells us about the nation’s priorities.
This article is not advice. If you would like to receive advice on your savings and investments, consider speaking to a Financial Adviser.
Most UK adults have just 23 hours of genuine free time each week – yet 86% say they want more.
This growing ‘time debt’ is reshaping how people live, work, and spend. Increasingly, people are turning to time-saving services to buy back the hours lost to routine chores like cleaning, laundry, and cooking.
To understand the true cost of convenience – and what Britain’s time-saving habits reveal – we conducted new research into how people use and value their time.
How much time are people really saving each week?
Our study shows that the average UK adult saves 11 hours and 44 minutes per week by using time-saving services, like childcare support, meal-prep services, and financial management apps.
Young adults aged 25–34 reclaim 13 hours and 18 minutes per week, the most of any age group.
Clinical psychologist Dr Daniel Glazer explains that this age group tends to choose time-saving services because of their busy lifestyles:
‘Gen Z and millennials have a lot going on. They're building careers, managing their social lives, and often starting families. Being able to juggle and manage these priorities can help justify the additional cost of time-saving services.
‘This particular age group is also very comfortable with technology. Often, these time-saving services are managed through applications and online diaries, so being more tech-savvy makes it easier to manage and integrate these into our daily lives.’
Time saving services aren’t just limited to household chores. People who outsource financial tasks – from using a financial adviser to relying on saving and investment apps – save an average of almost an hour a week, rising to more than 70 minutes for 25–34-year-olds. Yet 62% of adults don’t use these tools at all, suggesting many could be missing an opportunity to simplify their financial admin and reclaim additional time.
Who is willing to pay for more free time?
Overall, 46% of people said they would rather spend money to save time. Our research reveals a sharp generational divide.
68% of 25–34-year-olds say they’d rather spend money if it means saving time – more than double the rate of those aged 55 and over (32.22%).
Even in the financially pressured 35–44 age group, almost 60% agree. It suggests that for many people, especially younger adults and busy households, time is now viewed as a resource worth investing in.
Parents also show a stronger preference: 64% say they’re willing to spend money on time-saving services, compared to 36% of non-parents.
On parents’ attitudes toward time-saving, Glazer notes:
‘Inevitably, the invisible labour of childcare and household duties adds further layers of pressure that most people do not fully understand until they actually start to experience it. And yes, money is often tight for parents.’
‘The justifiable cost of freeing up time to spend with the family can be an easy decision to make, especially if these time-saving services are affordable within the context of their monthly budgets.’
Older generations are the least likely to use any time-saving services, with people aged 55+ saving the least time overall (just 42 minutes).
What is driving Britain’s growing time debt?
Britain’s time debt isn’t driven by one factor alone. Instead, a combination of domestic routines, travel demands, and caregiving responsibilities puts consistent pressure on people’s free time.
A 2025 food-industry report shows that 71% of all meal occasions now take place at home, which helps explain why cooking continues to dominate Britain’s weekly chore list. With two hours and 31 minutes spent in the kitchen each week, it remains the biggest drain on people’s free time.
Travel, including driving and public transport, comes a close second, costing two hours a week. Routine journeys quickly add up: school drop-offs and pick-ups alone contribute to the burden, with 39% of children saying they don’t walk to school because it’s simply too far.
Childcare, such as helping with homework and bedtime routines, is the third-largest time commitment, with parents dedicating an average of one hour and 49 minutes each week.
What chores are people most eager to outsource?
Cleaning stands out as the chore people are most eager to hand off. 41% say they’d stop doing it altogether – unsurprising, given that hiring a cleaner frees up around one hour and 17 minutes each week. Laundry follows, with 27% saying they’d gladly give it up, and cooking comes close behind at 20%.
Our study shows that people estimate they save one hour and seven minutes each week by using meal-prep services rather than cooking from scratch. This is perhaps why the UK meal-kit delivery service market is booming, with experts predicting it will double by 2030.
The priorities people are trying to make time for
When people imagine having more time, three priorities consistently rise to the top: connection, rest, and personal fulfilment.
Almost one in five adults (19%) want more time with friends and family, while 17% say they need more time simply to rest or sleep – a desire that peaks among 25–44-year-olds. Hobbies and personal interests follow at 16%.
Around 10% of 35–44-year-olds say they need more time to manage their finances – the highest of any age group, and a reflection of a life stage where many are balancing mortgages, childcare costs, and saving for the future all at once.
Time, money, and the balance that matters
It’s clear that many people in the UK feel pressed for time and are actively looking for ways to make their weeks feel less crowded. Younger adults are tackling this head-on through app-based services, which make it easier to weave time-saving tools into their routines.
Our study suggests older generations may be missing out – not due to a lack of interest, but perhaps because the technology behind these services can feel less intuitive. An AbilityNet survey echoes this, finding that only 13% of people aged 65+ rate their digital skills as ‘very good’, with many describing new tech as ‘complicated and overwhelming’.
As more people choose to buy back their time, the question becomes not just whether it saves hours but whether it supports their wider financial goals. Flagstone’s Chief Product Officer, John Martin, comments:
‘While it’s natural to want more time back, it’s important to balance these choices with long-term financial planning. Time is valuable, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of future financial security.
‘Ultimately, true financial wellbeing should be about giving yourself the freedom to spend your time well – whatever that looks like for you.’
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Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Flagstone, with 2,000 UK adults in October 2025.
