January is officially cancelled as Brits embrace ‘No Season’

And we are so here for it

New research from Compare the Market has found nearly four in five Brits (79 per cent) plan to start the year in full Joy of Missing Out mode, with 74% prioritising “me-time” over socialising. After a chaotic December of forced fun and endless commitments, the nation has had enough.

In fact, 80 per cent of adults secretly want plans to be cancelled, while more than half (55 per cent) admit they’ve already bailed on friends or family just to enjoy some peace. Almost half of us (49 per cent) will even delay committing to plans altogether, holding out in case a “better offer” – aka the sofa – comes along.

And yes, we’re lying about it. Brits tell an average of 2.5 white lies a month just to get out of social plans, proving that flakiness is now a survival skill.

January sick days are also getting a quiet rebrand. A whopping 42 per cent of Brits admit they might take a day off this month purely for “me-time”, recovering from a December that involved too much socialising and not nearly enough silence.

January has effectively become the UK’s unofficial hibernation period. Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) say they plan to focus on themselves rather than family and friends, while 57 per cent believe January should be a socially accepted “No Season” where people are allowed to opt out without judgement.

Unsurprisingly, Gen Z are leading the charge, with 77 per cent admitting they’d cancel plans for some much-needed alone time. Millennials aren’t far behind at 74 per cent, while Boomers remain built differently – 69 per cent say they’d never cancel plans just to have time to themselves.

The lengths Brits will go to for peace are genuinely impressive. Over half (56 per cent) admit to sitting in their car outside their house just to be alone, spending an average of 19 minutes there. One in five will happily stay put for up to half an hour before braving human interaction.

Inside the house, the bathroom has become the ultimate escape room. 45 per cent say the loo is the only place they won’t be disturbed, while 32 per cent admit they’ve even tackled life admin on the toilet just to stretch out the quiet.

Even partners and flatmates aren’t immune. 41 per cent of Brits prefer watching TV alone, and 36 per cent have bought a second TV purely so they don’t have to compromise on what’s on or talk to anyone while watching it.

When Brits finally reclaim their precious me-time, film nights top the list (69 per cent), followed by reading (41 per cent), long baths (28 per cent), naps (24 per cent), scrolling on social media (24 per cent), or simply sitting in silence on the sofa and ignoring the world (18 per cent).

The only thing getting in the way of peak January bliss? Life admin. A third of Brits say shopping around for better deals on household bills eats into their downtime – which feels deeply offensive during No Season.

As Charlie Evans, Money Expert at Compare the Market, explains, after weeks of saying yes to everything, people just want the freedom to say no without guilt – and January is when they need simplicity most.

So if you’re cancelling plans, hiding in your car, pretending to be ill or locking yourself in the bathroom this January, don’t stress. You’re not antisocial -you’re just fully embracing No Season.