'Anxious' Gen Z call in experts for basic tasks as nearly quarter likely to pay for professional

Young adults are increasingly hiring people to do household tasks, like changing a lightbulb or cleaning their car.

The report, carried out by Halfords, surveyed 2,000 adults, finding that those aged 18-27 were the most likely to pay for professional help with these chores.

It also found that nearly a quarter of Gen Zs and millennials admitted they did not know how to change a ceiling light bulb. 20 per cent of those said that going up a ladder was “too dangerous”.

Around 21 per cent of Gen Zs did not know what a spanner was, while one in ten said they would phone a professional to hang a picture.

Wayne Perry, the presenter of the TV Carpenter podcast, claimed that DIY disaster television programmes a decade ago may have contributed to people’s lack of confidence.

He said: “It really did put a lot of people off and knock their confidence so they decided it wasn’t worth having a go.

MORE LIKE THIS:

• Gen Z complains that claiming benefits is tougher than a 'full-time job' - 'Working people would have a breakdown!'
• Grooming gangs sexually abuse two children EVERY DAY, groundbreaking figures reveal
• I have a simple question; Do we want our children to be dim? - Kelvin MacKenzie

“This meant parents stopped teaching their children and so you have a generation where they just turn to professional help.”

Perrey recounted how he taught a class of people in their 30s about basic drill skills, saying even a basic introduction to DYI can help.

“At the beginning they were scared even holding the drill, but over a couple of hours, I taught them how to put a shelf up. The change was immeasurable. By the end they were skipping out with the drill,” he said.

This lack of tool knowledge was further seen in the survey, which found that only 70 per cent of younger people could identify a flathead screwdriver while only 47 per cent identify a jack — when shown images of five items— compared to 88 per cent of those aged 79-96.

However, the tasks in question are not confined to the home, with only 57 per cent of Gen Zs saying they know how to add air to a car tyre.

Only 35 per cent said they would be able to fit a windscreen wiper blade, with 44 per cent saying they would pay someone else to do it.

Halfords motoring expert Andy Turbefield said: “The results show very clearly that the ability to do basic, practical tasks is being lost among younger generations.

“Motoring knowledge in particular appears to be on the decline, with many reluctant to take on even the most basic tasks such as replacing windscreen wipers.”