Londoners Spend the Most Time on Life Admin — Yet Feel the Least Organised
Architect Inside House Being Renovated Working On Plans Using Laptop And Talking On Cellphone
A third of Londoners spend more than two hours a week on life admin, according to new research from life administration platform SafeKeep — with the time burden equivalent to two and a half weeks a year, or around £1,900 worth of working time per person annually, based on the average UK salary.
Londoners are the most time-poor when it comes to admin, with 34% spending more than two hours a week on tasks such as managing bills, documents and subscriptions — significantly higher than the UK average of 28%.
Despite this effort, Londoners are also the least organised, being around 10% less likely than the national average to say their life admin is in order.
The research highlights the real-world consequences of disorganisation. Nearly a third (30%) of Londoners say they have paid for subscriptions they forgot to cancel — compared to 18% across the UK — while 23% have lost an important document in the past year.
Andy Byres, founder of SafeKeep, said:
“Londoners are under intense pressure — many are managing fast-paced jobs alongside childcare responsibilities and supporting elderly parents.
“That creates a constant stream of admin that’s difficult to stay on top of. The data shows that even when people are spending more time on these tasks, it doesn’t necessarily translate into being more organised.
“It’s a clear sign that people need simpler ways to manage life admin, so it takes up less of their time and headspace, and allows them to focus on actually living their lives.”
Sarah Alcock, 60, a primary school teacher, describes how managing everyday admin alongside work and family responsibilities has become increasingly overwhelming:
“Life admin has become overwhelming. I deal with hundreds of emails and online messages a day, juggling work and family commitments.
“My important documents are scattered across emails, my phone, my laptop and bits of paper, so even finding something simple like my National Insurance number or pet insurance details can take ages. I’m often trying to stay on top of things but never quite getting there.”
SafeKeep was created to help people bring structure to life admin, acting as a secure, searchable digital filing cabinet for important documents, key information and personal memories.
From passport details and insurance policies to photos and wills, it brings everything together in one place, with reminders for upcoming expiries and renewals.
It also enables individuals to record and share essential information with trusted persons, supporting not just day-to-day organisation but longer-term planning, including end-of-life arrangements.
