U.K.: smartphone usage by socio-economic group 2023

The share of respondents who use a smartphone in the United Kingdom (UK) has increased across all socio-economic groups in the past years. In 2012, 55 percent of respondents who use a mobile phone in the C2 socio-economic group reported that it was a smartphone, and this proportion increased to almost 90 percent in 2022. The share of smartphone usage is highest among the C1 socio-economic group with 94 percent reporting to use a smartphone.

Share of smartphone users in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2023, by socio-economic group

Characteristic	AB	C1	C2	DE
2012	62%	59%	51%	41%
2013	67%	72%	59%	49%
2014	75%	69%	65%	54%
2015	77%	77%	63%	61%
2016	76%	78%	70%	61%
2017	83%	79%	69%	64%
2018	86%	86%	78%	67%
2019	89%	89%	83%	78%
2020	92%	96%	90%	84%
2021	95%	96%	90%	84%
2022	96%	94%	87%	82%
2023	96%	94%	89%	84%

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Release date

January 2024

More information

Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

2012 to 2023*

Number of respondents

3,359*

Age group

16 years and older

Special properties

Those who use a mobile phone

Method of interview

Telephone interview

Supplementary notes

This question was phrased by the source as follows: "Do you personally use a mobile phone? Is this a smartphone? A smartphone is a phone on which you can send ad receive emails, use apps, view websites and generally go online. Popular brands include iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. (Single code)"
* September 27 to November 12, 2023 was the date of the most recent survey.
The source define the social classes as:
A - higher managerial, administrative and professional
B - Intermediate managerial, administrative and professional
C1 - Supervisory, clerical and junior managerial, administrative and professional
C2 - Skilled manual workers
D - Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers
E - State pensioners, casual and lowest grade workers, unemployed with state benefits only

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