- Around a quarter of UK adults currently smoke tobacco (27%), and around the same smoke e-cigarettes or vapes (25%). But less than 1 in 10 (8%) have made a resolution to quit this year
- Almost 1 in 2 (47%) vow to make their New Year’s resolution a permanent change
- The most popular resolution among Brits for 2023 is to exercise more, with almost a third (28%) making this resolution
- Around 1 in 10 (9%) are worried about making changes to their life insurance policy in case it increases the price. Confused.com’s life insurance calculator can help give you an indication so you know exactly how much cover you need
Less than 1 in 10 (7%) Brits said they’ll be giving Dry January a go and saying ‘goodbye’ to booze this month. But those who claimed to be taking part made up only 10% of those who drink regularly, new data reveals.
Some New Year’s resolutions can seem outdated, with many left wondering why we wait until the start of a new year to try something new. But according to new research conducted by Confused.com, some resolutions are still popular among Brits.
In a survey of 2,000 UK adults, Confused.com asked what resolutions they’ve made for 2023 and why. Some of the results may be surprising, with a handful (7%) of adults saying they were trying Dry January. That’s despite 7 in 10 (70%) saying that they drink booze all year round. But that’s not the only habit Brits aren’t keen on giving up this year:
| Habit/lifestyle choice | % of Brits who currently do this | % of Brits who plan to stop in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
|
Drink alcohol
|
70%
|
8%
|
|
Smoke tobacco
|
27%
|
8%
|
|
Smoke e-cigarettes/vapes
|
25%
|
8%
|
|
Consume animal products
|
77%
|
7%
|
|
Eat takeaways
|
68%
|
12%
|
Although only a small fraction of smokers have made the decision to quit this year, it’s actually the most common resolution to repeat. The data gathered by Confused.com reveals that smoking and vaping is the top habit that Brits want to break at the start of a new year. Nearly 2 in 5 (37%) Brits said they want to break this habit after trying to more than once.
The uptake to change popular lifestyle choices might be lower than expected for January. But overall, Brits are keen to make some sort of change in 2023. That’s as more than 7 in 10 (73%) have committed to some sort of resolution, such as:
- Drink more water (24%)
- Lose/gain weight (22%)
- Spend more time with family and/or friends (16%)
And the reasons for doing so sound promising.
In 2022, around 1 in 4 (24%) Brits said that they continued with their New Year’s resolutions for 2-4 months. But almost 1 in 2 (47%) surveyed vowed to make their 2023 New Year’s resolution a permanent change. And it’s evident that resolutions have good connotations to the majority of people, as more than half (53%) said that they wanted to feel happier by committing to one.
It’s not surprising that the research shows the most popular resolutions for last year and 2023 were around both physical and mental health. Nearly 1 in 2 (47%) adults said they’re setting themselves a resolution because they want a healthier lifestyle. And more than a quarter (26%) also said they want to make a positive difference in their lives.
The most popular resolutions around these included:
- Exercising more than in 2022 (28%)
- Eating a healthier diet (26%)
- Improving mental health & wellbeing (20%)
Around 1 in 5 (18%) people said they’re trying a resolution they’ve made before because they didn’t achieve the results they wanted last time. But having said that, many are still going strong with the promises they made themselves last year. In fact, more than a quarter (27%) are still sticking with New Year’s resolutions made in 2022. And making healthier lifestyle choices, such as quitting smoking or improving fitness, will increase your life expectancy. In turn, this is also likely to benefit your life insurance.
However, the latest research gathered by Confused.com suggests that millions of Brits aren’t necessarily taking the right protection when it comes to their lifestyle choices. That’s as around 2 in 5 (38%) admit to not having any form of life insurance policy in place. But why is life insurance so important?
It’s likely that many adults aged 18+ have assets that they want to protect for the future. This could include possessions such as property or investments, like pensions. But the research reveals that more than 1 in 10 (11%) Brits never update their policy after making a lifestyle change. And this could mean their assets are no longer protected. The data also suggests that financial concerns could be stopping Brits from being completely honest. Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) policyholders admit to being worried about making changes in case it has a knock-on effect on the cost.
Although not a legal requirement, life insurance can be a great way to protect assets for the future. And Brits shouldn’t be put off or afraid to get a policy because of their lifestyle choices. In fact, there’s a big market of insurers that can cover a whole range of lifestyle habits. To help clear any confusion on the costs involved, Confused.com’s life insurance calculator can help to work out how much cover is needed, based on the individual. The useful tool can also help to determine the right level of cover needed.
Confused.com life insurance expert, Louise Thomas, says: “The New Year is often seen as a time for change and starting fresh. This year you may have decided to make a temporary resolution or maybe you’ve committed to something a bit more long-term. No matter the resolution or the timeframe you’ve given yourself, making changes to your lifestyle shouldn’t be rushed.
“A key thing to consider when making a lifestyle change is how it might affect your life insurance policy. It’s clear people are worried about updating their life insurance policy with any recent lifestyle changes in case it increases the cost. And with the current financial climate, it’s understandable why some people might be hesitant. But, dishonesty could invalidate your policy.
“With many not wanting to ditch their unhealthy habits this year, it’s important to have life insurance in place. Although some may not see it as an essential expenditure, it’s a great safety blanket to protect your loved ones and your assets in future. If you’re unsure about the cover you need or are worried about the costs, our life insurance calculator can help you work out how much cover you need.”
ENDS
Media information:
Confused.com press office:
Chloe.Ostrolenk@confused.com
Bryony.Ranson@confused.com
Chloe.Alonzi@confused.com
For further information:
Confused.com - Life Insurance
Launched in 2002, Confused.com was the UK's first digital marketplace for car insurance and is one of the leading brands in the sector, generating over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the years to include home insurance, van insurance, motorcycle insurance, and car finance comparison, as well as a number of tools designed to save consumers money.
Confused.com is not a supplier, insurance company or broker. It provides an objective and unbiased service. By using cutting-edge technology, it has developed a series of intelligent web-based solutions that evaluate a number of risk factors to help customers with their decision-making, subsequently finding them great deals on a wide-range of insurance products, financial services, utilities and more. Confused.com’s service is based on the most up-to-date information provided by UK suppliers and industry regulators.
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