Mum’s The Word: Three UK reveals 29 as the age we call our mums the most

• Half of Brits (53%) call their mum more often than they did 10 years ago – with the average call lasting over an hour (67 mins)
• Brits in their early 30s speak to their mum five times a week, with two-fifths calling at least once a day
• Four in five (80%) mums would rather receive a phone call or coffee catch-up than an expensive gift
• Three+ customer rewards app is making it easier to turn everyday conversations into meaningful gestures, with Mother’s Day treats like cards, cakes, flowers and beauty bundles

Today, new research from Three UK has found that more than half of Brits (53%) now call their mum or maternal figure more often than they did a decade ago – with some calling their mums at least once a day. The study also found that this maternal connection is most evident at the age of 29 – perhaps to mark a significant life stage as careers develop, families grow and responsibilities increase. In honour of the mums and maternal figures in our lives, Three, voted the Best Network for Perks by Uswitch, has unveiled some special Mother’s Day treats on the Three+ rewards app – including cards, cakes, flowers and beauty bundles.

Three commissioned the research to look at the role such maternal figures can play in a person’s life – as they move through life milestones and shifting family dynamics – as well as how staying connected to them can change over time. In their early thirties, Brits speak to their mum an average of 5 times a week, with two-fifths (41%) admitting to calling at least once a day. However, these are not rushed check-ins squeezed between commitments, but long, unhurried conversations. On average, ‘calls to Mum’ now last around 67 minutes each time, so the research suggests relationships with parents could be strengthening rather than fading.

Beyond how often and how long people speak, when they call also matters. While most people (46%) favour catching up at the weekend, nearly a third (31%) say there is no usual time at all, suggesting that for many, conversations with their mum fit around busy lives rather than following a fixed routine. The data also showed that 10am or 6pm were the preferred timeslots for ‘calling home’, but never after 11pm.

Often, it’s life’s biggest moments that prompt Brits to pick up the phone more often. More than a third say they increased contact after having a health scare (37%), having a child (33%), or enduring a change in financial circumstances (29%). Of course, parental figures are not limited to biological mothers or maternal figures, with Brits also relying on fathers (60%), older siblings (52%), or aunties (52%), as part of their support network.

And while the national average call lasts just over an hour, where you live can make a dramatic difference. In Wolverhampton, conversations are short and snappy lasting just 34 minutes on average. Meanwhile in Middlesbrough, calls stretch to almost the length of a feature film – at 101 minutes, this is nearly three times as long, revealing stark regional differences in how Britain stays connected.

How people communicate is evolving too. While many still favour traditional calls, voice notes are now widely used, with two-thirds (65%) having sent one to their mum or maternal figure, including a third (30%) who do so regularly. Generational differences are clear though, with over half (54%) of Gen X saying they have never sent a voice note, highlighting how older generations remain more loyal to traditional mediums.

Seven in ten (71%) say they appreciate their parental figure more now than they did a decade ago, and half (52%) say they rely on them more now than they did in their twenties. After a call, 41% say they feel happy, reflecting the emotional weight these conversations now carry.

As Mother’s Day approaches, that appreciation increasingly translates into action. Four in five (80%) mothers say they would rather have a phone call or catch up over a coffee than an expensive gift, while 43% say spending time together matters most. Many rely on their phones to organise those special moments, such as sending a card digitally (36%) and ordering flowers (34%).

Through its Three+ rewards app, Three is helping customers turn everyday conversations into meaningful gestures, without breaking the bank. From cards to coffee treats, Three is making it easier to celebrate the parental figures who are always at the end of the phone.

This year, Three customers can take advantage of the following Mother’s Day treats, via Three+:

• A free Mother’s Day (or Easter) card from TGJones, worth up to £4.99 (available until 15th March)
• Say it with flowers – 40% off selected Mother’s Day bouquets from Appleyard London (available until 15th March)
• Cake and a catch-up? Two-for-one sweet treats at Caffè Nero (available until 15th March)
• Luxury beauty bundle for £29.99, worth over £66 and includes p&p, from Real Beauty Bargain (available until 30th April)
• grüum spring skin & hair bundle worth up to £34, for the cost of p&p at £4.95 (available until 29th March)
• Two Cineworld tickets for £6 (available until 15th March)
• Plus, £1 coffees and £5 off at thousands of restaurants and takeaways

For more information on the Three+ rewards app, visit the Three UK website.

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