The pandemic saw a surge of Brits deep cleaning and sprucing up their new work and living space, their home. But since restrictions have lifted, Londoners have opted to ditch the vacuum, head back to the office and outsource household chores.
Data analysed by Quotezone.co.uk shows that Londoners are now spending an average of just 140 minutes per week cleaning their homes, whereas people in the North East spend more than double that amount of time cleaning – an average of 293 minutes per week, or almost five full hours.
In fact, a combination of Londoners looking to make up for lost time socialising and working almost four hours a week longer than the rest of the UK – which works out as more than 2 extra working days per month*- has led many Londoners to outsource their spring clean this year.
ONS data shows a significant bounce back in the cleaning industry as Londoners splash the cash on household cleaners, with 188,000 employees in the capital, compared to just 28,000 in the North East.**
However, as the cost-of-living rockets and inflation soars past 7%, it’s likely that many Londoners will already be feeling the squeeze and start to forgo luxuries like a cleaner. For those looking to tighten the purse strings, Quotezone.co.uk has curated the perfect cleaning playlist using Spotify’s data to help Londoners clean and save.
Greg Wilson, Founder of personal finance and home insurance comparison site Quotezone.co.uk, comments: “After being in and out of lockdown for the last couple of years, it comes as no surprise that people are not keen to stay at home and clean now that restrictions are all but removed. While the spring clean is traditionally the bedrock of a fresh start for the year, Londoners are focusing on socialising and work life, working two extra days each month compared to the rest of the UK.
“Nevertheless, many may face challenges in the coming months, particularly with rising energy and transport costs, so it is important to cut costs where we can and tidying up is important to help avoid accidents in the home. Typically, a third of all home insurance claims are for accidental damage. To help save, it’s best to try to build a no claims bonus, the more years without an accident, the cheaper the insurance policy is likely to be.“
Accidental damage may not be covered in a standard home insurance policy so always best to double check and add it on if necessary. Quotezone.co.uk has over 50 home insurance providers, helping over 3 million users find a competitive price and the policy that suits them best.