- Brits are set to scroll 108 metres this Christmas break, which is 12 metres more than the height of Big Ben[1]
- During the festive period Brits expect to spend 10.5 hours a day on their screens - double the amount of time they predict they will spend seeing friends and family[2]
- Two-thirds (66%) think devices should be banned at the Christmas dinner table[3]
- Yet two in ten (20%) expect to cancel plans to spend more time on screen-related activities like gaming and online shopping[4]
- Uswitch expert reveals tips to make the most out of your broadband this Christmas
Brits are set to scroll more than the height of Big Ben (108 metres) on their smartphones over the festive period, according to new research by comparison and switching service Uswitch.com[1].
As a nation, this equates to almost 6 million km, equivalent to scrolling the same distance as a trip to the moon, fifteen times.[5]
During the Christmas break, Brits expect to spend 10.5 hours a day on screen-based activities[2] versus 4.8 hours on average with their loved ones[6]. Top screen time activities over the festive period include streaming films or TV shows (average of 2.1 hours a day), general internet browsing (average of 1.9 hours a day) and using social media (average of 1.5 hours a day).[2]
For four in 10 Brits (38%), the days between Christmas and New Year, known as Betwixtmas (27-30 December) are expected to be the most screen-heavy time of the year[7]. More than one in 10 (14%) say Christmas Day is when they expect to spend the most time on a screen[7].
Parents predict that their children’s screen time will rise significantly over the festive break, with over half (55%) saying their kids will spend as much as two extra hours per day on a screen compared to a regular day.[8]
The main reasons for the expected increase in children’s screen time are having more free time as they won’t be at school (49%) and to keep them entertained (38%) – with a quarter (26%) using screens with their children to get some peace and quiet[9].
Two-thirds of Brits (66%) believe devices should be banned at the Christmas dinner table [3] and 28% plan to limit screen time over the festive period[10]. On the other hand, two in 10 (20%) expect to cancel plans to spend more time on screen-related activities like watching TV and online shopping.[4]
Mum of three, Katherine Hazard, comments: "During busy or stressful times, it’s easy to turn to screens to keep the kids occupied, whether it’s to give myself a break or get things done around the house in prep for Christmas!
“While we get outside every day and keep the kids active, screen time often increases over Christmas - especially when we’re preparing meals, cleaning, or travelling. That said, screen time doesn’t replace family time and we make sure the children still spend quality moments with us, even if it’s us all watching something together.”
Caroline Messer, aged 60 from Peterborough, comments: “For me, Christmas is all about being cosy at home and I love streaming festive movies or new TV series over the festive period. If there is something on that nobody else wants to see, I’d rather stay in and just watch it by myself.
“With so many good series on streaming platforms, I also want to make sure I watch them first to avoid any spoilers from the real world.”
Most popular screen-time activities for Christmas 2024
| Activity | Average screen time hours per person per day |
|---|---|
| General internet browsing | 1.9 |
| Streaming films or TV shows (i.e. on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus etc.) | 2.1 |
| Using/browsing social media (i.e. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X etc.) | 1.5 |
| Checking emails | 1.2 |
| Instant messaging friends and family | 1.2 |
| Online shopping | 1.1 |
| Gaming | 1.0 |
| Using dating apps | 0.5 |
Uswitch telecoms expert Ernest Doku shares his advice on how Brits can make the most out of their broadband this Christmas: “At this time of year, we all like to settle down with a good festive film, binge our favourite series or enjoy our new videogames on Boxing Day.
“With so many planning to embrace screen time over the festive period, it’s worth checking your broadband connection in advance and taking an online speed test to make sure you are getting the minimum speed guaranteed by your current provider.
“You might be surprised to learn even the placement of your Christmas tree, fairy lights, and tinsel could affect your internet, as interference could potentially slow down connection speeds. Keep furniture, decorations and other electronics such as lamps, speakers, TVs and monitors as far away from your router as possible.
“If you do want to manage or reduce time spent on devices this season, services from broadband providers such as EE’s Family Controls and Vodafone’s Content Management allow you to set limits on your kids - or your own - screen time, making more time for connection with family and friends.
“There are also options on your phone such as Google's ‘Digital Wellbeing’ and ‘Family Link’ features on Android-powered devices to manage usage, or apps such as Offscreen where you can set limits and timers to help reduce your time on certain apps - or your screen in general.”
Test your broadband speed at Uswitch.com.
For more information
Harriet Atkinson | Telecoms PR Manager
harriet.atkinson@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to find their energy, broadband and mobile deals than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
Notes to editors
Opinium surveyed a sample of 2,000 UK adults from 6 December 2024 – 10 December 2024.
- Using the average diagonal screen size (6.3 inches) from Omdia’s Display Dynamics to estimate the vertical length of a phone as 5.5 inches/13.9cm, we will assume the average scroll covers half of the length (2.75 inches/6.95cm). Taking the average amount of time spent on mobile, tablet or laptop this festive period of 2.4 hours, we multiply this by MindTools’ estimate the average person reads about 250 words per minute, meaning the average person reads 36,000 words a day on their smartphone.
According to Horizontal Motion. The Elements of Typographic Style, the ideal character per line is 66, and according to research by Mark Mayzner, the average word length in English is 4.7 characters. Using these figures, we can estimate that the average line of text contains 14 words. At 36,000 words a day, this would mean the average person reads 2571.42857143 lines a day.
According to Learn UI Design Blog, text for mobile should be at least 16 points. One point of text is 1/72 of an inch, so 16 point text is roughly 0.22 inches tall.
Assuming 1.5x line spacing, this means 0.33 inches per line. Going back to the average vertical length of a phone display (5.5 inches) and dividing this by the 0.33 inches per line, we can estimate there are 16.5 lines on a screen at one time.
Finally, dividing the total lines read (2571) by the number of lines per screen (16.5) estimates that the full page of text would need to be replaced fully 155.844155844 times.
Using the earlier estimate that the average scroll only takes up half of the screen (2.75 inches / 6.95cm) and multiplying this by 155.844155844 leaves us with a total distance scrolled of 428.571428571 inches / 1083.11688312 cm per person a day.
428.571428571 inches = 10.8857142857034 metres x 10 days (23rd Dec - 1st Jan) = 108.857142857 metres. Big Ben is 96 metres.
- Respondents were asked ‘Approximately how many hours a day do you spend doing each of the following activities during the festive period ? Please consider the festive period from December 23rd to January 1st. Respondents spent on average 10.5 hours screen based activities (2.1 hours streaming films or TV, 1.5 hours browsing social media, 1 hour gaming, 1.1 hours online shopping, 1.9 general internet browsing, 0.5 hours using dating apps, 1.2 hours checking emails and 1.2 hours instant messaging friends and family.)
- Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree, or disagree with each of the following statements? Please consider the festive period from December 23rd to January 1st. ‘Screen time’ refers to any activity done using a device with a screen, eg. streaming, watching TV, browsing social media etc.’ 66% selected ‘I believe all devices should be banned at the Christmas dinner table’.
- Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree, or disagree with each the following statements? Please consider the festive period from December 23rd to January 1st. ‘Screen time’ refers to any activity done using a device with a screen, eg. streaming, watching TV, browsing social media etc’. 20% selected ‘I will likely cancel plans to spend more time using a screen during the Christmas period e.g. watching TV, online shopping’
- Using the average diagonal screen size (6.3 inches) from Omdia’s Display Dynamics to estimate the vertical length of a phone as 5.5 inches/13.9cm, we will assume the average scroll covers half of the length (2.75 inches/6.95cm). Taking the average amount of time spent on mobile, tablet or laptop this festive period of 2.4 hours, we multiply this by MindTools’ estimate the average person reads about 250 words per minute, meaning the average person reads 36,000 words a day on their smartphone.
According to Horizontal Motion. The Elements of Typographic Style, the ideal character per line is 66, and according to research by Mark Mayzner, the average word length in English is 4.7 characters. Using these figures, we can estimate that the average line of text contains 14 words. At 36,000 words a day, this would mean the average person reads 2571.42857143 lines a day.
According to Learn UI Design Blog, text for mobile should be at least 16 points. One point of text is 1/72 of an inch, so 16 point text is roughly 0.22 inches tall.
Assuming 1.5x line spacing, this means 0.33 inches per line. Going back to the average vertical length of a phone display (5.5 inches) and dividing this by the 0.33 inches per line, we can estimate there are 16.5 lines on a screen at one time.
Finally, dividing the total lines read (2571) by the number of lines per screen (16.5) estimates that the full page of text would need to be replaced fully 155.844155844 times.
Using the earlier estimate that the average scroll only takes up half of the screen (2.75 inches / 6.95cm) and multiplying this by 155.844155844 leaves us with a total distance scrolled of 428.571428571 inches / 1083.11688312 cm per person a day.
428.571428571 inches = 10.8857142857034 metres x 10 days (23rd Dec - 1st Jan) = 108.857142857 metres.
108.857142857m multiplied by 54,196,443 adult population = 5,870,108,241.82 total m scrolled as a nation or 5,870,108 KM
This is 15.3 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon (average distance is about 384,400 km).
- Respondents were asked ‘Approximately how many hours a day do you plan to spend quality time with friends and family during the festive period? Please consider the festive period from December 23rd to January 1st.’ Respondents' answers averaged out at 4.8 hours.
- Respondents were asked ‘What day during the festive period do you expect to spend the most time using a screen?’. 38% respondent ‘a day between Christmas and New Year (27th-30th December) and 14% responded ‘Christmas Day (25th December)
- Respondents were asked ‘How many hours a day do you expect your children’s screen time to increase by during the Christmas period? Please consider the festive period from December 23rd to January 1st.’ 34% said 2 hours more, 21% said one hour more (total 55%)
- Respondents were asked ‘You mentioned you expect your children’s screen time to increase during the Christmas period. Why is that?’ 49% selected ‘they will have more free time as they won’t be at school , 38% selected ‘to keep them entertained’ and 26% selected ‘to have some peace and quiet’.
- Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree, or disagree with each the following statements? Please consider the festive period from December 23rd to January 1st. ‘Screen time’ refers to any activity done using a device with a screen, eg. streaming, watching TV, browsing social media etc: I am planning to put limits on the amount of time my family spends on their screen during the festive period’. 10% selected ‘strongly agree’ and 18% ‘somewhat agree’/