London, 10^th October 2019

• Four in five working parents find it hard to make time to chill
• Working parents’ working week is 11.5 hours longer than average
• 6-9 am is the most stressful time of day for working parents

Busy working parents spend almost £13,000 a year in a bid to free up time to relax, new research from Churchill has revealed.

Buying time

Brits spend an average of £249 forking out for cleaners, ironing  services, food deliveries and taxis just to free up time. If they did this every week it would equate to almost £13,000 a year. Despite the parents surveyed forking out for the extra home support, a third say there simply isn’t enough time in the day to chill out.

Eighty per cent find it difficult to find time to relax, with work demands, house maintenance and general life admin being cited as the main reasons for struggling to chill. Just one in five said they always found time to put their feet up during the week.

Almost one in three (30 per cent) of working parents get less than two hours to themselves in a week. In fact, parents’ average working week is 11 and a half hours longer than average because of household chores and looking after kids.

Family first

A total of 68 per cent of people say they worry about not spending time with loved ones as they are too busy.  If working parents had more time, they would spend it with their family and children (41 per cent), reading or watching a film (26 per cent), popping down the gym (24 per cent) or spend more time with friends (21 per cent).

Lucy Porter, Comedian and mum of two, commented, "Our results confirm that the modern British parent is also a chauffeur, cook, PA, cleaner and many more things rolled into one.  

"With parenting now becoming all-encompassing, it’s no wonder that they are looking to relieve stress some times. Whether that’s through paying for cleaners, childcare or food delivery services or even picking an insurer like Churchill who will help take the hard work out of making a claim, all parents want to do, is to make time to do what is most important to them… chill out with their families."

Lucy Brooksbank, Head of Marketing at Churchill added, “With so little spare time, it comes as no surprise that 53 per cent agree that knowing they can rely on their insurance provider would give them one less thing to worry about.  This is one area where our customers can chill, safe in the knowledge that Churchill is doing all the hard work to get things sorted.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Further information about Churchill available on request:

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ABOUT CHURCHILL

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line. Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance