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Household chores still women's work?
Attitudes to household chores, 2000-01, United Kingdom, Percentages
Women still do the majority of the household chores, despite their increased participation in the labour market.
Women spend nearly 3 hours a day on average on housework (excluding shopping and childcare). This compares with the one hour 40 minutes spent by men. Women also spend more time than men looking after children. Men, on the other hand, work or study for an average of nearly 2 hours a day more than women (4 hours 20 minutes a day compared with 2 hours 30 minutes for women).
Women were also much more likely than men to say they ‘like’ most household tasks. The main exception is DIY repair. Of those who say they do this activity, three in five men but only two in five women say they like it. Ironing clothes is the least popular activity among both sexes. Around half of both men and women who do this activity say they dislike it.
Two in five men do not do the ironing and a similar proportion do not do the laundry, while the proportion of women who do not do these tasks is fewer than one in 12 women. The situation is reversed when it comes to DIY. Nearly half of women say that they do not do DIY repair work, compared with 16 per cent of men. However, roles are much more equal in both decorating and gardening.
Source UK 2000 Time Use Survey, Office for National Statistics
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