One in four people in the UK consider scrolling through social media a genuine hobby – but many yearn to break the digital fix.

The UK is home to a myriad of cultural gems, from countless castles to world-renowned museums and idyllic natural landmarks.

Yet a quarter of UK adults – 12.8 million people – consider staying indoors on social media a past-time and four out of ten people admit to spending most of their free time screen scrolling and watching TV over getting out and enjoying cultural activities.

The research, which surveyed 4,000 adults across the UK, was commissioned to celebrate National Lottery Open Week (9th – 17th March) which sees hundreds of National Lottery-funded venues offer free entry and discounts as a thank you to National Lottery players for helping to raise over £30 million a week for good causes.

Bill Bailey, comedian, musician, and National Lottery Open Week ambassador said: “I’ve tried my hand at activities over the years, from paddleboarding, to ballroom dancing, to birdwatching, the list goes on.

“It always surprises me how much you can learn about yourself – and the world – from putting yourself in new situations and trying different things. I never expected to become as proficient as I have in some of these activities, nor did I imagine how much fun I’d get out of them.”

Many simply don’t know how else to spend their downtime, with one in three admitting (32%) screen scrolling is a way to relax and escape the stresses of life, while for one in five (20%), say it’s a cheap way to spend their free time.

People are also venturing outside less, as digitisation has brought the outside world into their homes; 16% of people confess they don’t do any outdoor activities.

The good news is that two fifths (38%) of people want to break the digital habit and are actively trying to reduce the amount of time spent on social media.

A third (34%) even admit that if they didn’t have social media, they would opt to spend their time on new pursuits.

Scarlett Moffatt, TV personality and National Lottery Open Week ambassador said: “As a new mam, life is brilliant but busy and you don’t always get the chance to get out and try something new. That’s why Bill and I loved visiting the incredible Royal Shakespeare Company.

“It was a great opportunity to open the wonderful world of National Lottery Open Week. The best part is that you can too! I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of the free and discounted offers and head outside to explore some of the fun and fascinating things the UK has to offer.”

To open-up National Lottery Open Week, and experience something new, players can use any retail or online National Lottery ticket, Scratch card or Instant Win Games, for free entry and special offers at selected attractions between 9th and 17th March 2024*.

There’s an experience for everyone this National Lottery Open Week. To say thank you to players who help to raise £30 million for Good Causes every week, hundreds of National Lottery funded venues taking part will offer free entry and discounts including selected National Trust, National Trust for Scotland, English Heritage and RSPB sites, as well as top attractions including Eden Project, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Wembley Stadium, Royal Shakespeare Company, Imperial War Museums and Millennium Centre in Wales. To view all venues and offers available, visit www.NationalLotteryOpenWeek.com.