Politeness costs Brits £432 a year

The average Brit could save £432 a year if they weren’t so polite – with the uniquely British trait costing the nation a whopping £20 billion annually.

The survey from money.co.uk savings accounts reveals the impact of manners on finances, with more than four in 10 people (43%) saying they would spend less money if they weren’t so polite.

Nearly three in 10 Brits (28%) generally divide the total bill evenly every time they go out to eat as a group, potentially leaving them to pay for more than their fair share, while almost half (48%) admit they have previously been pressured into splitting a restaurant bill equally despite having consumed less than others in the group.

Similarly, more than a third of Brits (35%) frequently pay for more drinks than they consume while on a night out, often due to buying rounds for their friends. This, coupled with research from ONS that reveals the average price of a pint in the UK is now up to £4.39, means Brits are now forking out more than ever on social situations.

Overall, Glaswegians are the most likely to buy you a pint on a night out, with those from the region paying for more drinks than they consume on a night out more often than any other region in the UK (46%).

At the opposite end of the scale, Norwich (25%) locals are the least likely to pay for more drinks than they consume on a night out.