From 2005 to 2020, the number of hours adults spent using the internet in a typical week has been steadily increasing in the United Kingdom (UK). As of 2020, the average time spent using the internet was 24.9 hours per week, an increase of 15 hours compared to 2005.
The amount of online shopping that people in Great Britain are doing has increased since 2015 as well, with a penetration rate reaching 66 percent in the first quarter of 2019. The increase is more noticeable with smartphone users. According to the results of an annual interview conducted by the Office for National Statistics, most of the individuals in the UK purchased clothes or sports goods, at 60 percent, while a share of 34 percent of online consumers purchased books, magazines, and newspapers.
How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet?*
participants who use the internet at home or elsewhere
Method of interview
Computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI)
Supplementary notes
* The original survey question was "How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet at home/ at your workplace or place of education/ anywhere else?" (Unprompted responses) ** n (2005) = 1,746; n (2007) = 1,723; n (2009) = 1,282; n (2011) = 1,369; n (2012) = 1,381; n (2013) = 1,272; n (2014) = 1,609; n (2015) = 1,458; n (2016) = 1,553; n (2017) = 1,570; n (2018) = 1,602; n (2019) = 1,293; n (2020) = 2,956 *** October 2020 to January 2021 was the date of the most recent survey.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Ofcom. (April 21, 2021). How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet?* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/300201/hours-of-internet-use-per-week-per-person-in-the-uk/
Ofcom. "How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet?*." Chart. April 21, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/300201/hours-of-internet-use-per-week-per-person-in-the-uk/
Ofcom. (2021). How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet?*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/300201/hours-of-internet-use-per-week-per-person-in-the-uk/
Ofcom. "How Many Hours in a Typical Week Would You Say You Use The Internet?*." Statista, Statista Inc., 21 Apr 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/300201/hours-of-internet-use-per-week-per-person-in-the-uk/
Ofcom, How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet?* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/300201/hours-of-internet-use-per-week-per-person-in-the-uk/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
How many hours in a typical week would you say you use the internet?* [Graph], Ofcom, April 21, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/300201/hours-of-internet-use-per-week-per-person-in-the-uk/
