A new year has arrived, and with it comes the opportunity to start again. It’s a new chance for a clean slate, changing unhealthy habits and establishing better ones.
With that in mind, search experts from Didgeheads analysed the search volume for popular New Year’s resolutions across cities in the UK with over 50,000 people to find out which are the main priorities for the British starting 2025.
1. Exercising more
According to Office for Health Improvement & Disparities data, in 2022 to 2023, 64% of adults (people over 18) in England were estimated to be overweight or obese. In Scotland, data from the Scottish Health Survey 2023 indicates that 66% of adults were classed as living with overweight (including obesity).
Meanwhile, the National Survey for Wales shows that in 2021, 62% of the Welsh are overweight or obese, while in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health shared in 2023 that 65% of adults are living with overweight or obesity.
Considering these alarming statistics, it’s a good sign that the British are entering 2025 with their minds set on exercising more. With 26,710 searches related to the topic in the past 30 days, if Brits maintain a proper workout routine, they can lower the rates of overweight and obesity throughout the nation.
Wrexham, Dartford and Bury residents are the ones looking forward the most to exercising more in 2025, with 228, 176 and 163 searches for the topic per 100,000 people.
In major cities in the UK (with over 100,000 inhabitants), Croydon, Manchester and Bolton residents are the ones set on establishing a fitness routine in 2025, with 161, 126 and 120 searches for the topic per 100,000 people.
Brits’ priorities for 2025
| Rank | Keyword cluster | Total searches ahead of New Year’s Eve |
| 1. | Exercising more | 26,710 |
| 2. | Eating healthier | 23,970 |
| 3. | Travelling | 21,480 |
| 4. | Learning a new skill | 20,440 |
| 5. | Saving money | 16,750 |
| 6. | Advancing in or changing careers | 15,030 |
| 7. | Quitting smoking | 10,590 |
| 8. | Improving mental health | 10,150 |
| 9. | Drinking less alcohol | 6,990 |
| 10. | Self-organisation | 6,840 |
2. Eating healthier
The average British diet is not necessarily unhealthy. Nonetheless, having better dietary habits is their second priority for 2025, with 23,970 searches for keywords related to the topic in the analysed period.
Dartford, Wellingborough and Bury residents are the most interested in eating healthier in this new year, with the first two recording 158 searches per 100,000 people and the third 147. These are almost the same as the ones searching the most for exercising more, apart from Wellingborough.
In cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, Manchester comes first, with 128 searches per 100,000 people, followed by Croydon (126) and Bolton (120).
3. Travelling
Who doesn’t enjoy travelling? Sure, the process around it can be exasperating at times, but once you’ve reached your destination and get to enjoy your holidays, everything seems worth it (whoever said it was about the journey and not the destination?).
Brits sure seem to enjoy it, so much that it is their third priority for 2025, with a total of 21,480 searches related to travelling in the past 30 days.
Dartford residents are the ones most excited about hitting the road in 2025, with 176 searches per 100,000 people. Next are Dunfermline and Redhill, with 158 and 155 searches per 100,000 residents, respectively.
In bigger cities, Croydon takes the lead again, with 103 searches about trips per 100,000 people. Chelmsford and Eastbourne come second and third, with 98 and 93 searches per 100,000 residents, respectively.
4. Learning a new skill
It’s always exciting to learn something new, whether it’s something you can use in your professional life or simply a fun hobby to take your mind off things. This is Brits’ fourth priority for 2025, with 20,440 searches in the analysed period.
Braintree, Kettering and Dartford residents are the most curious about learning a new skill or getting a new hobby in 2025, with 130, 125 and 123 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
In cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, Croydon, Birmingham and Lincoln residents showed more interest in the topic, with 109, 106 and 105 searches for the analysed keywords per 100,000 residents.
5. Saving money
You can’t pay for a gym membership, buy healthy foods and travel around if you don’t have money. Besides, with the rising cost of living and inflation, saving more money is the British fifth priority for 2025, with a total of 16,750 searches for the topic in the past 30 days.
Keighley and Dunfermline residents are the ones most interested in saving some extra cash, with 119 searches per 100,000 people each. Batley follows closely, with 118 searches per 100,000 inhabitants.
In bigger cities, Manchester, Blackpool and Salford residents are the ones searching the most for the topic, with 101, 89 and 84 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
6. Advancing in or changing careers
Among the most popular New Year’s resolutions, career progression or change came in sixth place, with 15,030 searches in the analysed period.
Bury, Braintree and Hove residents are searching the most for the topic, with 114, 112 and 106 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
In the major UK cities, Wolverhampton, Wakefield and Croydon residents are the ones set on launching their career in 2025, with 91, 82 and 80 searches for the analysed keywords per 100,000 people, respectively.
7. Quitting smoking
Following the trend of developing healthier habits in 2025, British smokers and vapers are looking forward to quitting. In the past 30 days, there were 10,590 searches related to topics across the nation.
Dunfermline, Clacton-on-Sea and Dartford residents are set on leaving the habit behind them in 2025, with the first two cities recording 79 searches per 100,000 people and the third, 70 searches per 100,000 people.
In bigger cities, Croydon, Manchester and Salford residents lead on quitting smoking, with 57, 55 and 53 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
8. Improving mental health
Among the wellbeing clusters, mental health came in last, ranking eighth as Brits’ priorities for 2025 with 10,150 searches throughout the nation in the past 30 days.
Batley residents were the one searching the most for the topic, with 98 searches per 100,000 people. Horsham and Reigate follow closely, with 97 and 95 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
In cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, Bath and Worcester tie with 49 searches per 100,000 residents, while Lincoln comes third with 48 searches per 100,000 people.
9. Drinking less alcohol
Following the health trend across the nation, Brits are also keen on drinking less alcohol in 2025, with 6,990 searches for the topic in the analysed period.
Keighley, Dunfermline and Redhill residents are the most interested in reducing their alcohol intake, with the first two cities totalling 79 searches per 100,000 people and the third 77 searches per 100,000 residents.
In major UK cities, Bath, Lincoln and Maidstone inhabitants are also hoping to drink less in this new year, with 39, 38 and 37 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
10. Self-organisation
Being organised it’s not an easy task, but it’s the last of the priorities for the British in 2025, with 6,840 searches in the UK in the past 30 days.
Nonetheless, Halesowen residents are particularly interested in improving their organisation, registering 108 searches per 100,000 people. Next come Dunfermline and Wellingborough, with 99 and 98 searches per 100,000 residents, respectively.
In bigger cities, Bath, Lincoln and Maidstone residents are the ones searching the most for the topic, with 59, 48 and 46 searches per 100,000 people, respectively.
