Keswicklocal

We’re still living a traditional life

By Phillip Ward, Cumberland Building Society

Last updated at 16:28, Thursday, 22 July 2010

Our political and economic lives may be uncertain, but when it comes to home life it’s good to know that some things are as traditional as they ever were.

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Homebodies: The average person loves spending time at home with over a third of Brits spending on average more than 2,000 hours at home a year, excluding sleep time

A study of 10 years worth of data from Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer, reveals the most common British house name is the very conventional “The Cottage” and it is occupied by the “Smiths” who reside in the “High Street.”

There are two cars in the drive, one of which is a Ford Fiesta, and the most popular holiday destination is still good old Spain.

But some more modern-day traits are creeping in – while we may no longer be a nation of smokers, most of us don’t exercise and dinners are mainly eaten in front of EastEnders on a 32in-wide telly.

The Aviva data shows that Mr and Mrs Smith are most likely to live in a three-bedroom detached house, built around the turn of the 20th century, nestled between their neighbours Mr and Mrs Jones at “Rose Cottage” and Mr and Mrs Williams at “The Bungalow”.

The average homeowner values their prized possessions at £28,000 – including furnishings, clothes and personal belongings. But however prized they are, the average person is still rather clumsy with nearly 50 per cent of contents claims due to accidental damage, costing on average more than £350 per claim.

The top five items replaced in the home after being stolen, lost or damaged are: 32in Toshiba television, Samsung Laptop, Sony Playstation 3 Slim 120GB Console, Samsung Tocco Lite mobile and Xbox 360 Elite Console.

Mrs Smith is more likely to make a household claim than Mr Smith, making a claim every 8.5 years compared to just over nine years for her husband.

Additional research with 2,000 people across the UK also shines a spotlight on who we’re living next door to and what they’re up to.

Brits are a nation of early risers with half of us getting up for work between 6am and 7am and half of us commuting by car.

Mr and Mrs Average tend not to go out for air at lunchtime, resulting in 27 per cent heading to the canteen, kitchen or quiet area for a snack and over 20 per cent eating sandwiches at their desk. Seven per cent of people don’t stop for lunch at all.

The average person loves spending time at home with over a third of Brits spending on average more than 2,000 hours at home a year, excluding sleep time.

Outside the home one in three Brits sees friends or family once a week and clothes shops and the pub are also visited at least once every seven days.

Exercise though is not part of that routine – 71 per cent of Brits don’t go to the gym, cycle, jog or swim even once a week.

Mr and Mrs Average settle down for the evening with dinner in front of the television (52 per cent), with EastEnders being the most popular (nine per cent) programme on Brits’ TV screens.

Then it’s lights out, with the average person’s head hitting the pillow at 11pm.