British Gas published survey data in October 2026 claiming people named Dave are the UK’s handiest DIYers, while those named Nigel rank last. The ‘Don’t Do It Yourself’ campaign uses the £249 average cost of botched household repairs to promote the utility company’s network of professional engineers for boiler and electrical fixes.
The Essentials
-
British Gas claims people named Dave are the UK's best DIYers, while Nigels rank last.
-
This self-reported data reveals a stark gender divide and contradicts our team's experience.
-
Beyond names, botched repairs cost £249 on average and spark arguments for over half of couples.
The research, conducted by Perspectus Global across 2,001 adults, contradicts the In Pure Spirit team’s direct experience. The data places ‘Ben’ near the bottom of the capable list at 3% and ‘Dave’ at the absolute top with 12.6%. In our wee team, the reality is entirely reversed; our Ben is highly capable with a toolbox, while our Dave is distinctly average.
The findings take a lighthearted tone, but the rankings reveal a sharp demographic split. Names traditionally associated with men completely dominate the top 12 spots, while names traditionally associated with women account for the majority of the least handy list.
Top 5 Handiest Brits (Self-Reported)
- Dave: 12.6%
- Steve: 11.8%
- John: 11.8%
- Paul: 9.8%
- Mark: 9.5%
Top 5 Least Handy Brits
- Nigel: 5.0%
- Zoe: 5.0%
- Trevor: 4.3%
- Sophie: 4.2%
- Rebecca: 4.2%
Beyond the name game, the survey highlights the psychological and financial toll of taking on unfamiliar manual labour. Exactly 46% of respondents have called a professional to fix their own mistakes, resulting in an average £249 repair bill. These failures frequently create domestic tension, with 52% of botched jobs leading to arguments with partners.
The Most Regretted DIY Tasks
- Traditional painting and decorating: 21%
- Assembling flat-pack furniture: 17%
- Putting up shelves: 15%
A third of those surveyed (33%) admit to attempting a job after following an online tutorial, only to discover the reality was far harder. British Gas uses these statistics to steer homeowners away from complex tasks, noting that 73% of people correctly leave boiler repairs to professionals, along with electrical wiring (68%) and central heating (66%).
Check Your DIY Hubris
Enter your name below to see how it ranks in the British Gas data, or find out your statistical probability of causing a DIY disaster.
The Name vs Reality Calculator
Image credit: Immo Wegmann. Via British Gas.
In Pure Spirit
Do you have a DIY defying name? Let us know!
Join the conversation