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Social media in the UK is close to universal. According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 United Kingdom report (data analysed by Kepios), there were 55.5 million social media user identities in the UK in October 2025, equal to 79.7% of the population. Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report puts the average UK adult’s time online at 4 hours 30 minutes a day, and a big share of that goes on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok.
We pull these UK social media statistics together every year because clients ask us the same questions: which platforms matter, who is on them and how much time people really spend there. Every figure below names its source and the date the data relates to, so you can check it and quote it with confidence. Where sources measure things differently, we say so.
The headline numbers for 2026
Here are the big figures in one place. They come from two of the most reliable sources for UK digital data: DataReportal’s Digital 2026 United Kingdom report and Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report.
- 68.1 million internet users in the UK, or 97.8% of the population (DataReportal, Digital 2026, late 2025 data).
- 55.5 million social media user identities, or 79.7% of the population (DataReportal, October 2025).
- 48.2 million social media user identities aged 18 and over, equal to 87.2% of UK adults (DataReportal, end of 2025).
- 4 hours 30 minutes spent online by the average UK adult each day, up 10 minutes on the previous year (Ofcom, Online Nation 2025, using Ipsos iris data for May 2025).
- 77% of adults’ online time is spent on a smartphone, up from 75% a year earlier (Ofcom, Online Nation 2025).
- 51% of UK adults’ online time is spent on services owned by Alphabet (Google and YouTube) or Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) (Ofcom, Online Nation 2025).
One caution on “user identities”. DataReportal is clear that these are accounts and audiences reported by the platforms, not unique people. One person with two accounts can be counted twice. Treat them as a guide to scale rather than a headcount.
Users by platform: YouTube and Facebook still lead
There are two useful ways to measure platform size. Ofcom reports how many UK online adults visited each service in a month. DataReportal reports the advertising audience each platform says you can reach. They answer slightly different questions, so we show both.
| Platform | Monthly reach among UK online adults (Ofcom, May 2025) | Average daily time per visitor (Ofcom, May 2025) | Ad audience in the UK (DataReportal, late 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 94% | 51 minutes | 55.5 million |
| Facebook (including Messenger) | 93% | 43 minutes | 38.8 million |
| 90% | 17 minutes | Not reported | |
| 78% | 20 minutes | 35.5 million | |
| 60% | 4 minutes | Not reported | |
| TikTok | 56% | 28 minutes | 26.8 million (adults 18+) |
| X | 39% | 6 minutes | 19.0 million |
| 38% | 2 minutes | 48.0 million registered members | |
| 26% | 1 minute | 15.5 million | |
| Snapchat | 23% | 27 minutes | 23.9 million |
Ofcom’s figures come from the Ipsos iris online audience measurement service and cover UK internet users aged 18 and over. DataReportal notes that LinkedIn reports registered members rather than active users, which is why its number looks large next to its modest daily time.
A few things stand out. YouTube now reaches almost every online adult and holds attention for longer than anything else, at 51 minutes a day, up from 47 minutes in 2024 (Ofcom). X has lost ground: Ofcom reports its adult reach fell from 45% in 2024 to 39% in 2025. WhatsApp keeps growing as a daily habit, with daily reach rising from 64% in May 2024 to 74% in May 2025 (Ofcom).
Time spent online depends heavily on age
The average UK adult spends 4 hours 30 minutes online a day, but that average hides a wide spread. Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report gives these figures for personal use across smartphones, tablets and computers:
- 18 to 24 year olds: 6 hours 20 minutes a day
- 35 to 44 year olds: 4 hours 35 minutes a day
- 65 and over: 3 hours 20 minutes a day
Women spend more time online than men, at 4 hours 43 minutes a day compared with around 4 hours 17 minutes, and this holds in every adult age group (Ofcom, Online Nation 2025).
Ofcom’s platform data by age is just as useful for planning. On YouTube, 18 to 34 year olds average 1 hour 28 minutes a day, compared with 43 minutes for 35 to 54s and 28 minutes for over 55s. Facebook flips that pattern: 35 to 54s spend 50 minutes a day on Facebook and Messenger, and over 55s spend 45 minutes, while 18 to 34s spend 31 minutes. Snapchat skews young, with 66% of its adult users aged 18 to 34 and just 7% aged 55 and over.
Age groups use social media very differently
Ofcom’s Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes report 2025 shows how widely social media is used across the age range. Among online adults, 99% of 16 to 24 year olds use social media, compared with 75% of those aged 65 and over.
How people use it varies too. The same report found that 29% of social media users often share, post or comment, rising to 37% of 16 to 24s and 40% of 25 to 34s. By contrast, 35% of over 65s say they mostly read content and rarely like or post.
Related reading: X (Twitter) Statistics Every Social Media Manager Should Know
For younger audiences, Ofcom’s children’s research (reported in Online Nation 2025) found that 96% of 13 to 17 year olds use social media apps, and that YouTube and Snapchat take up more than half of the online time of 8 to 14 year olds.
What this means in practice:
- If your customers are under 35, short video on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube deserves most of your effort.
- If you sell to people over 45, Facebook is still where they spend real time, alongside YouTube.
- Older audiences watch and read more than they comment, so low engagement does not always mean nobody saw your post.
How UK businesses use social media
On the consumer side, Ofcom’s Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes report 2025 found that 39% of online communication platform users follow companies or brands they like. That is a large, willing audience for any business that posts consistently.
On the business side, a 2025 survey of SME owners by the business lender iwoca found that 97% of the SMEs it asked use social media to support their business. The most used channels were:
| Platform | Share of SMEs using it (iwoca, 2025) |
|---|---|
| 69% | |
| 67% | |
| YouTube | 63% |
| 58% | |
| 52% | |
| X | 50% |
| TikTok | 49% |
The same iwoca research found a big age gap among business owners: 60% of owners aged 18 to 34 use TikTok, compared with 17% of owners over 55. Smaller firms were also less likely to be active, with 11% of businesses with two to ten staff not using social media at all, against 2% of firms with 51 to 249 staff.
Put the consumer and business numbers side by side and there is a clear gap. Most small businesses have a presence on Facebook and Instagram, but far fewer are making the most of YouTube and short video, which is exactly where UK adults now spend the most time. If you want help closing that gap, our social media management team plans and creates content around where your audience actually is.
Social media is also a news and search habit
Social platforms are no longer just for keeping up with friends. Ofcom’s News Consumption in the UK 2025 research, cited in Online Nation 2025, found that four of the top ten individual news sources in the UK are now social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X. Meta was used as a news gateway by 40% of adults.
This matters for businesses because people increasingly look up products, places and services on social apps before they buy. A well-kept profile, with clear information, recent posts and replies to comments, works a lot like a second website.
Using these numbers in your own plans
Statistics are only useful if they change what you do. Here is how we suggest using them:
- Start with your customer’s age. Match your main platforms to the age profiles above rather than trying to be everywhere.
- Follow the time, not just the reach. A platform with high reach but two minutes a day, like LinkedIn, needs a different approach from one with 50 minutes a day, like YouTube.
- Plan for phones first. With 77% of online time on smartphones (Ofcom), every post, video and landing page needs to work on a small screen.
- Use paid social to reach beyond your followers. Organic posts reach people who already know you. The ad audiences in the table show how many more you can reach with a budget, and our paid social advertising service is built for exactly that.
- Check your own analytics. National figures are a starting point. Your own audience data tells you what works for your business.
Frequently asked questions
How many people use social media in the UK?
DataReportal’s Digital 2026 United Kingdom report counted 55.5 million social media user identities in October 2025, equal to 79.7% of the population. These are accounts rather than unique people, so the true number of individuals will be a little lower.
Which social media platform is most used in the UK?
YouTube, by both reach and time. Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report found it reached 94% of UK online adults in May 2025, with an average of 51 minutes a day per visitor. Facebook, including Messenger, was close behind on reach at 93%.
How long do people in the UK spend online each day?
Ofcom reports an average of 4 hours 30 minutes a day for UK adults in 2025, rising to 6 hours 20 minutes for 18 to 24 year olds and falling to 3 hours 20 minutes for those aged 65 and over.
Is social media worth it for a small UK business?
For most, yes. Ofcom found that 39% of platform users follow brands they like, and iwoca’s 2025 research found 97% of SMEs it surveyed already use social media. The difference comes from posting consistently on the right platforms for your customers.
Turn the numbers into results
Knowing where your customers spend their time is the first step. Turning that into enquiries and sales is where we come in. Our team in Guildford and Portsmouth plans, creates and manages content and adverts for businesses across Surrey, Hampshire and beyond. See how our social media management and paid social services work, or get in touch for a chat about your audience.
