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Key findings:
- Nearly four in ten UK adults who regularly consume content (39%) watch short-form videos multiple times a day, rising to 64% among 18–24-year-olds.
- More than a third of UK adults (38%) watch long-form videos at least once a day, including 19% who do so multiple times a day.
- A majority of long-form video viewers (57%) say they are likely to watch videos all the way through, including 20% who are very likely to do so.
In the first part of our UK media consumption trends series, we explore the channels and platforms shaping Britons’ media diets, from TV and streaming services to social media. But beyond where people consume media, how they engage with content is becoming just as important. In this second part, we look at the role of short- and long-form video in UK adults’ daily routines.
How often do UK adults watch short-form videos?
Short-form video is deeply embedded in the daily media habits of UK adults. Nearly four in ten (39%) watch short-form videos (under 10 minutes) multiple times a day, while a further 18% watch them once a day. In total, 57% consume short-form video at least once a day.
Daily short-form viewing is particularly common among younger audiences. Almost two-thirds of 18–24-year-olds (64%) watch short-form content multiple times a day, followed by 59% of those aged 25–34. By contrast, only 23% of adults aged 55+ do so. Men are also more likely than women to consume short-form video several times a day (44% vs. 35%).
How popular is long-form video in the UK?
Long-form video is consumed less frequently, although 37% watch videos lasting 10 minutes or more at least once a day, with 19% watching multiple times a day and a further 18% doing so once a day.
As with short-form content, younger adults are the most frequent consumers of long-form video. Roughly two-fifths of 18–24-year-olds (40%) watch long-form videos multiple times a day, compared with just 11% of those aged 55+. Men are considerably more likely than women to watch long-form video daily (49% vs. 27%), driven by higher rates of both multiple daily viewing (25% vs. 13%) and once-daily viewing (24% vs. 13%).
Older adults are less engaged with long-form video overall. Three in ten adults aged 55+ (30%) say they never watch long-form video, compared with only 1% of 18–24-year-olds.
Do people watch long-form videos all the way through?
Long-form content also appears to encourage deeper engagement among viewers. A majority of UK adults who watch long-form video (57%) say they are likely to watch videos all the way through, including 20% who are very likely to do so. Younger adults are particularly engaged, with 30% of 18–24-year-olds saying they are very likely to watch long-form videos in full, compared with 16% of those aged 45–54 and 18% of over-55s. Men are also more likely than women to watch long-form content to completion (62% vs. 50% likely or very likely).
The findings highlight a clear generational divide in media consumption, with younger adults embracing both short-form video and more intensive long-form media use overall.
Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online between 19-20 May 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 2,130 adults (aged 18+ years) in the United Kingdom, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in the United Kingdom (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.
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