What it means: from the ONS time use survey, in which adults record what they are mainly doing through one day. It counts browsing, email, social media, games and other use of computers, phones and tablets when that is the main thing someone is doing, outside paid work. Streaming television and films is counted as watching TV instead, and checking a phone while doing something else is not counted, so this is much lower than measures of total screen time. The figures are for all adults, including those who did none on the day. The survey has been run once or twice a year since the first Covid lockdown in March to April 2020. Shown for context.

Source: ONS, time use in the UK, March 2026 (Online Time Use Survey), tables 1 to 3.