One in ten Brits can't change a light bulb

A study out today shows that British householders are unable to carry out basic tasks around the home – and many still call on Mum and Dad to help.

The research, by home insurer Churchill, shows that one in ten (9%) are unable to change a light bulb and a quarter (26%) are unable to wire a plug. Furthermore, a third of householders (33%) wouldn't know what to do if the fuse box tripped and plunged the house into darkness.

One in ten (10%) are unable to hang a picture or mirror and over a fifth (22%) don't know how to put up shelves. One in ten (10%) are unsure about how to do the gardening and over a quarter (29%) don't know how to bleed a radiator. Additionally, fifteen per cent simply cannot face trying to put flat-pack furniture together.

Householders will also call on parents and friends to do the painting (34%), carry out electrical work (37%) and put up wallpaper (31%).

Dads are the first person adults turn to when they are facing a household dilemma (51%), followed by mums (18%), brothers (12%) and brother-in-laws (12%). Parents are also the first people a third of adults (34%) turn to if they have a household emergency like a leaking washer or blocked loo.

In fact, householders will ask their parents and friends for 25 hours of help every year.

Martin Scott, Head of Home Insurance at Churchill, says: "Our research shows that many householders have a lack of confidence, time or experience when it comes to general household tasks and DIY. The growth in single occupancy households may be contributing to the results, as some householders may be unable to tackle more complex DIY jobs on their own and turn to parents and friends for support."

However, lack of motivation and general apathy are the main reasons householders choose to call on friends and family when it comes to getting the house right. Just over one in four (27%) admit they are not interested in doing jobs around the home at all and six per cent don't have time to do it themselves. Another eighteen per cent claim they just can't get the hang of drills, spirit levels, wallpaper and paint.

The research also reveals that over one in ten (13%) have invited parents into the home to help with DIY and home maintenance but they have either not been able to help or have actually made the problem worse.

The jobs parents and friends are most frequently called in to do:

Online survey carried out by Churchill Home Insurance with 2,628 UK inhabitants, February 2007.

Abi Clark
Churchill Insurance
020 8313 5830
pressoffice@churchill.com