British 'Wary' Of DIY Risks

The British are wary about DIY home improvements, with even basic jobs like changing a plug being a cause for concern. In research by MORI for B&CE Insurance, just two in five people would be willing to change a plug to save themselves money.

Other results show:

• a quarter of women and one in 10 men (12%) would not consider carrying out any type of household maintenance
• the oldest and the youngest age groups would not consider carrying out any type of household maintenance. A quarter of the under 25s and more than a third (36%) of those aged 65 and over would not personally carry out any household maintenance at all

The research also found a north/south DIY divide, with southerners being more confident than the Scottish of their abilities to turn a 'house of horrors' into the 'home of their dreams'. For instance

• more than two thirds (69%) of southerners -- compared with less than three in five people in Scotland (56%) -- say they were very successful at their attempts of a 'Changing Rooms' style make-over
• three quarters (76%) of southerners compared with two thirds of Scottish people say they were very successful at rewiring.

Technical details

MORI interviewed 1,972 people across Great Britain between 4-9 April 2002.