Business & Technology
Britons urged to swap texts for calls in wellbeing push
iD Mobile and Mental Health UK have launched a campaign urging people to swap text messages for phone calls.
The move follows new research showing that 51% of Britons feel anxious about making or receiving personal calls.
The polling points to a wider shift in communication habits, with messaging now the default for many even when they believe a phone call would be better. A third of respondents said they call much less than they did a decade ago, while 52% wished they called loved ones more often.
On average, Britons send up to 25 text-based messages a day, yet 14% said they had gone more than a week without speaking to a friend or loved one on the phone. That amounts to about 6.4 million people, according to the organisations.
Younger adults reported the highest levels of discomfort with calls. The research found that 69% of Gen Z and 65% of younger millennials feel some level of anxiety around phone conversations, compared with 32% of people aged 55 and over.
The findings suggest convenience is only part of the shift away from voice calls. The most common reasons for choosing a message were speed and convenience, concern about interrupting someone, uncertainty over whether the other person was free to talk, and discomfort with speaking on the phone.
People also said they preferred to think through what they wanted to say before replying, while some felt messaging was less intrusive or more appropriate. Others worried calls would take too long, that they might say the wrong thing, or that they would not know what to say in a live conversation.
The survey also found signs that text-based communication can be more laborious than users expect. Nearly three quarters of respondents said they had rewritten a text several times because it was difficult to express what they meant, while 31% said they sent long messages or several in succession. Some 43% said messages do not always fully convey what they mean or feel.
In hindsight, 57% said they had sent a text when a phone call would have been more appropriate.
The wellbeing link
The research also examined whether voice contact affects how people feel. Two thirds of respondents said they feel more connected after a phone call with someone close to them, while 75% said calls with loved ones boost their mood. A further 72% said hearing someone’s voice makes a bigger difference to how they feel than reading their words, and 79% said a phone call can make a real difference to someone’s mental wellbeing.
Brian Dow, chief executive of Mental Health UK, said: “Messaging might seem more efficient, even more considerate, because you feel like you aren’t interrupting anyone. Yet we know that for many people, a simple phone call provides a much better opportunity to connect and can change someone’s day for the better.”
He added: “The irony is sharp. Many of us choose the format that feels lower effort, then spend longer drafting a message and still fail to communicate what we want to say.”
Dow said: “Connection is one of the most powerful protective factors for mental health, and as this polling shows, speaking to someone helps us feel closer than a text. Many of us have hesitated before making a call, but that hesitation is rarely as big a barrier as we imagine it to be.
“Our loved ones are often very pleased and grateful to receive a call. There is, of course, a time and a place for a message, but there’s a risk we become over-reliant on them at the cost of speaking to one another, and lose out on something that can significantly boost our mental wellbeing.”
Campaign push
To draw attention to the issue, the campaign features broadcaster Big Zuu, who spoke about the role phone conversations can play in maintaining personal connections. The message centres on turning one text that would normally be typed into a phone call instead.
Research suggests there may be some appetite for that change. When asked who they would be most likely to call, 41% said someone they had lost touch with in recent years, 40% said a friend, and 30% said a sibling. Nearly six in 10 respondents said they would be more likely to make a call if they knew it would last five minutes or less.
Big Zuu said: “Life gets busy, and it’s easy to fall into just messaging people with small talk questions and generic responses – I’ve done that loads. But sometimes, picking up the phone and having a proper back and forth makes all the difference.
“There have been times where I haven’t shared how I’m really feeling, but taking the time to make a call can change that. You feel it straight away, it’s more real, more honest, and it stays with you. Even just hearing someone’s voice on the other end of the phone, knowing they’re there, can cut through a lot of the noise. That’s something we shouldn’t lose as a nation.”
Rohit Vedi, managing director of iD Mobile, said: “At iD Mobile, keeping you connected is what we do best – but we know that means more than just signal and data. We’re on our phones more than ever, yet many of us are missing out on the deeper connection that only comes from a real conversation.
“The research shows just how much of a difference hearing a voice can make to our mental health, so we’re inviting the nation to ‘Make it a Call’ this Mental Health Awareness Week. Alongside our friends and partners at Mental Health UK, we hope this campaign, and the longer-term partnership it represents, can help us all feel a little more connected every day.”
Dow said: “We’re not asking people to transform how they communicate. Just to pick up the phone and check in with someone once this week. It might make more difference than you’d imagine, for yourself and for the person on the other end of that call.”
Jayden, 13 launched Jay’s Bakes from his home in Taunton Road in Bicester on Saturday, June 20.
His late nan, a keen baker herself, was the inspiration behind his passion, as well as time spent helping his uncle with his catering business.
Over the last 18 months he has honed his skills by preparing sweat treats every day after school.
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Determined to turn his hobby into something more, Jayden spent two and a half months researching requirements, gaining his Level 2 food hygiene certificate and officially registering his business, mostly without adult intervention.
After four days of preparation, the business officially launched.
Customers were treated to a wide selection of homemade goods, including M&M cookies, Kinder brownies, Biscoff cookies, Victoria sponge trays, lemon drizzle cups and viral ‘dot cakes’.
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His Kinder brownies proved particularly popular, and by the end of the day he had sold out of everything, taking £210.
Despite feeling “excited and a bit nervous” beforehand, Jayden said the opening was a success, with a strong turnout and positive feedback shared on social media.
His favourite moment came when he officially opened the shed by cutting the ribbon.
Supported by his mum, stepdad, grandparents and uncle, Jayden first began selling from a table in May before building and painting his now-signature blue cake shed.
He now plans to continue baking and selling regularly, bringing his creations to the local community.
Lidl has been given planning permission to build its ninth supermarket in Oxfordshire, despite concerns over flooding.
Aldi opened in Didcot in 2015 and has a supermarket at the Jubilee Way roundabout but shoppers in the town have had to wait over a decade for Lidl to follow.
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South Oxfordshire District Council has now backed plans by the German retailer for a new supermarket in Abingdon Road.
Former Didcot mayor Mocky Khan said: “This give the residents of Didcot more choice, especially when you consider the cost of living environment we have at the moment.
“The town is growing with more new homes being built, and with more growth it’s good to have a wide variety of supermarkets to fit all budgets,”
The plans for the new supermarket were first submitted in 2024.
Didcot Town Council previously objected to the scheme, on the grounds of a lack of flood risk mitigation measures, along with the county council who said there was “insufficient information”.
The town council noted there are “several flooding incidents in the area, especially when the Marsh Bridge water pumps fail”.
But in a report by planning officers granting permission to the supermarket, those issues have now been addressed by Lidl.
The officers said the proposals “largely accord” with the policies around planning, and more can be done to “break up” the car park with greenery.
Planning officers chose to let Lidl build the new supermarket subject to conditions.
They said in a report: “Balanced against this policy conflict is the fact that this is a previously developed site, which is currently in a dilapidated state.
“The proposals represent a significant improvement on the current underutilisation of the site and on its appearance.
“The National Planning Policy Framework and Local Plan set out significant support for the reuse of previously developed land.
“As stated in the applicant’s planning statement, there have been previous enquiries as to the redevelopment of the site that have not come to fruition.
“Given this, finding a viable use for the site is a clear benefit which I consider to be of substantial benefit.”
Thirty-four residents had objected to Lidl’s plans, highlighting concerns over extra traffic, there being no need for another supermarket in the town and there being more appropriate locations to build in their view.
Didcot already has an Aldi store just off Broadway and a Sainsbury’s, M&S Foodhall and Asda.
The nearest Lidl to the proposed site are in Lupton Road, Wallingford, and Marcham Road in Abingdon.
Three people wrote in to support the new Lidl, recognising the benefits of a discount food store and the further jobs it will create.
Lidl has said its proposals for a Didcot supermarket would deliver 40 full-time equivalent jobs as well as further employment during the construction phase.
No opening date was given by the retailer, while the developer is currently on site progressing with the enabling works.
A spokesman said: “We’ve seen demand for our affordable, high-quality products continue to rise in Oxfordshire, and we are committed to serving more communities in the area.
“Our new store will create around 40 new jobs and build on our continued growth.
“We’re excited to be a step closer to opening this store and thank everyone who has supported us on our journey so far.”
It also said the £12m investment would work with the 6,300 new homes allocated to be built, as per the local plan.
Dalcour Maclaren, a specialist in utilities and infrastructure, announced the news on June 22, following a detailed assessment of its operations, including governance, employee wellbeing, environmental impact, and social responsibility.
James Neil, CEO of Dalcour Maclaren, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Dalcour Maclaren.
“B Corp status gives us the official badge that recognises everything that matters most to us in our culture, our values, and how we make decisions for our people and our clients. We thrive on doing things differently at DM and B Corp absolutely endorses this.”
The certification means the company meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Dalcour Maclaren now joins more than 10,000 B Corps worldwide and over 2,600 in the UK, including well-known names such as The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, and The Big Issue.
Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, said: “Welcoming Dalcour Maclaren to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
Dalcour Maclaren operates across the UK and Ireland, supporting major projects in energy, water, transport, and digital infrastructure. The company’s services include land, planning, environment, stakeholder engagement, and geospatial services.
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