Around 35 million UK adults are planning on making a New Year’s resolution in 2024, which is two-thirds (66%) of the population. This has grown considerably from last year when the annual research from personal finance comparison site finder.com found that just under 3 in 5 Brits (58%) were setting goals for the new year.
Health leads the way for 2024 resolutions
Health is the most popular category for resolutions, with over a third (35%) of the population setting a goal to improve their physical or mental well-being.
New Year’s resolutions involving money are a close second, as 3 in 10 Brits (29%) want to set a goal in this area. After a year of high inflation and many people struggling to manage their usual daily expenses, it is perhaps not surprising that Brits want to focus on managing their money more effectively in 2024.
Meanwhile, career is a low priority for 2024 resolutions as just 14% of adults are focusing on their work life as an area for improvement next year.
The majority of generation Z and millennials are making resolutions
Impressively, nearly all of generation Z (97%) are planning to make a resolution of some kind next year. The majority of millennials (86%) are also setting goals, as well as two-thirds of generation X (67%).
However, the enthusiasm for setting New Year’s resolutions drops with age. Less than half (46%) of baby boomers are setting a goal while less than a quarter of the silent generation (23%) are making a resolution.
The research suggests that optimism comes with youth and perhaps all the years of failing to meet the resolutions have made the older generations more cynical!
Northern Ireland and London are top for goal-setting next year
Interestingly, health is the top category for New Year’s resolutions for all regions of the UK.
However, certain regions are a lot more focused on making changes in 2024 compared to others. Northern Ireland tops the table, with 4 in 5 (80%) making a New Year’s resolution, followed by London, where 79% of residents are making a resolution.
Those in the North East were least likely to make a change in the New Year, with just half of residents setting a resolution.
You can see the regional leaderboard of New Year’s resolutions below.
| Region | Percentage making resolutions | #1 | #2 | #3 |
| Northern Ireland | 80% | Health | Money | Travel |
| Greater London | 79% | Health | Money | Self-improvement |
| East Midlands | 66% | Health | Money | Self-improvement |
| South East | 66% | Health | Money | Family |
| North West | 66% | Health | Money | Family |
| Scotland | 65% | Health | Self-improvement | Money |
| East of England | 65% | Health | Family | Money |
| South West | 64% | Health | Money | Family |
| West Midlands | 62% | Health | Money | Self-improvement |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 59% | Health | Money | Family |
| Wales | 59% | Health | Family | Travel |
| North East | 50% | Health | Travel | Family |
To see the research in full visit: https://www.finder.com/uk/new-years-resolution-statistics
