Brits turn hobbies into professional pastimes

One in four Brits (25%) admit to having aspirations to leave their current job behind and start a new job or business based on their hobby, according to the Professional Pastimes research from Friends Provident, the FTSE 100 life and pensions company.

Just like the current Formula 1 world championship leader, Lewis Hamilton, who turned his childhood go-karting passion into a successful career, and JK Rowling whose childhood passion for writing spawned the global phenomenon Harry Potter, three million people in the UK have turned their favourite hobby into a professional pastime. Nearly half would like to improve their skills and over a third have been involved in their hobby since childhood.

People surveyed said their favourite childhood hobbies were largely low-cost activities such as bike riding or being a Boy Scout or Girl Guide. However 21st Century children are costing their parents far more as they explore more high maintenance hobbies. 1.8 million parents in the UK spend between £600 and £12,000 per year on their children’s hobbies. Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony, may be able to identify with this as he held down three jobs to fund his son’s go-karting passion.

Most people (77%) pay for their hobby out of their wages or savings. One in 10 (9%) people spent more than £500 just to get their hobby off the ground. A third of people (32%) spend more than £250 each year on their main pastime 6% of people spend more than £1,000.

Traditional pursuits, such as music, cooking and gardening, are still popular hobbies in the UK, with football and swimming topping the list of sporting hobbies. Those favouring more active hobbies can end up shelling out considerable sums.

A quarter (25%) of people say their hobby is a strong part of their identity, while more than two-fifths (44%) say their hobby helps them forget the stresses of every day life.

Christine Foyster, head of wealth management marketing at Friends Provident, said: “Clearly people in the UK have an appetite to acquire skills outside of the workplace and even turn their pastime into their profession, though not everyone will be as successful as Lewis Hamilton or JK Rowling.

“It is encouraging to find that many people are using their savings or their wages to fund their hobbies, rather than paying with credit cards or loans. Saving regularly can be a cost-effective way to fund a hobby.

“As children’s hobbies are getting more expensive, parents and grandparents would do well to start saving when a child is born to be able to afford the expensive pastimes when they are older.”

Psychologist Anna Colton, said: “A third of people don’t take up a hobby until they are adults. This doesn’t come as a surprise as the trigger for many people turning to hobbies is a need and desire to escape the stresses and, at times, tedium of every day life. As modern life gets more stressful and busy, we may well see increasing numbers of adults trying out new hobbies or returning to hobbies from their youth, for comfort and enjoyment.

“Some people also identify with those with high profiles, who have turned their hobbies into professional careers. This may be another reason that hobbies continue to be an important part of UK life.”