How the UK is spending time online: Ofcom’s Online Nation report

Ofcom’s Online Nation report reveals how being online is essential to communication in the UK, with nearly all (94%) of UK adult internet users using an online communications service for messaging and calling in 2021. 

There is also a notable shift in how people access the internet, with one in five exclusively using a smartphone to go online, compared to one in ten the previous year. Other key stats revealing how people access and how long they spend on the internet include:

• UK adult internet users spent almost four hours online a day in September 2021, with three of those spent on smartphones 
• Young adults continue to spend the most time online, with 18-24 year-olds spending an average of 5 hours 6 minutes online each day
• 73% of time spent online per day by UK adults was on a smartphone

Ofcom’s study also reveals a significant number of people (58%) are watching video game related content and playing games online. Further gaming stats include:

• 39% of UK adults aged 16+ play games online 
• 58% of UK gamers aged 13-64 subscribe to a gaming subscription service
• 20% of British adults said they played free-to-play digital games at least monthly

Regarding user experience, Ofcom’s report identifies the prevalence of online risks, particularly among women. The study also identifies that 67% of UK internet users aged 13+ feel that the benefits of being online outweighs the risks.

You can find Ofcom’s Online Nation 2022 report in full here