Families are navigating a rapidly changing world. Rising household costs, financial pressures, social media, AI, changing food habits and evolving technology are all shaping everyday life. At the same time, children are navigating friendships, gaming, content consumption, growing independence and the journey of discovering who they are.

Families@Home 2026 is RED C’s latest exploration of life inside UK households, bringing together immersive qualitative and quantitative research to uncover the realities, tensions and opportunities shaping today’s homes.

Through self-led explorations, rich visual responses, in-depth interviews and nationally representative survey data, we move beyond what people say to understand what life at home actually looks and feels like.

The full report covers:

  • General landscape for families
  • Social media ban
  • Media and content
  • Role of brands in families lives
  • Financial confidence
  • Food habits

Key Themes from Families@Home 2026

Families are optimistic, but navigating growing pressures
Rising living costs, financial uncertainty and changing family priorities continue to shape life at home. While many families remain positive about the future, they’re having to make more deliberate decisions about how they spend their time, money and attention.

Growing up in an algorithm-led world
Social media, AI and digital platforms are creating new questions for parents about safety, independence and online experiences. Families@Home explores how parents are responding to these changes, as well as how children are engaging with content, gaming, creators and technology in their everyday lives.

Brands continue to play a crucial role in kids’ identity expression
As children grow up, brands play different roles in their lives. From creativity and play in younger years to self-expression, confidence and belonging as they get older, the report explores how children form relationships with brands and what this means for organisations looking to connect with families.

The new family value equation
Whether it’s food, finances, leisure time or family experiences, households are constantly adapting to changing pressures and priorities. Our study explores how families are balancing practicality, value and enjoyment across everyday decisions.

 

Why it matters
For brands, organisations and decision-makers, understanding families has never been more important. Families are adapting to economic uncertainty, navigating new technologies, redefining childhood experiences and making increasingly deliberate choices about how they spend their time, money and attention. Families@Home 2026 helps uncover not only what families are doing today, but where they may be heading next.

Whether you’re interested in family finances, media and content, food and grocery, gaming, technology, experiences, brands or the future of childhood, we’d be delighted to share more.

Get in touch for a full overview of the findings: [email protected]

Download a snapshot of the report