Homework Statistics 2026: Insights from 2,000+ UK Students

Save My Exams surveyed over 2,200 UK students aged 13 to 20 to gather exclusive data on their attitudes to homework. This includes how many hours they spend on assignments each week to whether they feel homework expectations are fair. 

Combined with the latest research from educators, neuroscientists and policymakers, this report paints a comprehensive picture of homework in the UK.

Key Takeaways: Top Homework Statistics

Here are the standout findings from our research:

1. 58% of students find homework at least moderately stressful.

2. 9 in 10 students have, at some point, lost sleep due to homework.

3. 50% of UK students spend six or more hours per week on homework, with 10% spending 13 hours or more.

4. 83% of students say homework helps them understand topics better at least sometimes.

5. Fewer than 1 in 5 students say homework makes a significant difference to their grades.

6. 22% of students receive no parental support with homework at all. 

The State of Homework in 2026

Homework is a controversial feature of school life, but the amount students do, and how much it helps, varies by country, age, and even the quality of the tasks set. 

Taking a look at how the rest of the world tackles homework can help us see where the UK’s homework statistics fit in.

Global Homework Trends

Homework is used across the world to try and consolidate the learning of students in class. However, the amount of homework set each week varies from country to country. 

For example, Finnish students receive just 2-3 hours of homework each week and consistently hit the top 5 of the best education systems in the world rankings (VisitEDUfinn). At the other end of the scale, students in the United States spend an average of 6.8 hours completing homework each week (NCES). 

Some countries have taken prescriptive approaches to home learning. In China, homework is banned for primary school children in Grades 1 and 2, with strict time limits for older pupils (Taipei Times). And in Poland, homework is optional for children in Years 4 - 8, meaning they can choose not to complete it (Notes from Poland). 

Homework Among UK Students (Primary Data)

Let’s take a look at the demographic profiles of the respondents of our homework survey.

Who We Surveyed: Student Demographics

Save My Exams conducted an online survey of 2,297 UK-based students in 2026. The survey captured data covering: 

• Homework frequency

• Time spent completing homework

• Perceived usefulness

• Academic impact

• Emotional wellbeing

• Support structures

Gender Breakdown

• 59% female (1,348 respondents)

• 40% male (915 respondents)

• 1% non-binary or other (26 respondents)

Age Breakdown

The majority of respondents were of secondary school or sixth-form age:

• Ages 13–14: 6%

• Age 15: 23%

• Age 16: 33% (the single largest group)

• Age 17: 22%

• Age 18: 13%

• Ages 19–20+: 2%

This 13-18 year-old range reflects the cohort most likely to experience significant homework demands, especially those approaching GCSEs and A Levels.

Homework Frequency & Time Spent

Caption: A bar chart showing the average hours per week UK students spend completing homework.
Alt text: Bar chart showing how many hours students spend on homework per week

When asked how many hours per week they spend on homework, students painted a varied and telling picture. For a notable minority of students, homework now rivals part-time employment in weekly time commitment.

• Nearly a quarter (23%) are spending nine or more hours on homework weekly.

• At the extreme end, 4% of students are spending the equivalent of a part-time job - over 17 hours - just on homework each week.

• More than a third of students (36%) complete 3–5 hours per week.

• Only 14% of students spend 2 hours or less per week completing homework.

Impact of Homework on Academic Performance

Caption: A pie chart showing how much students believe homework impacts their grades.
Alt text: Pie chart showing student opinions on how homework impacts grades. 

Students had a cautiously positive view of homework's impact on their grades:

• Nearly three-quarters of students (72%) acknowledge at least some academic benefit from homework. 18% believe homework improves their grades a lot and 54% say it helps a little.

• 22% say it doesn't really make a difference.

• 1% were unsure and 5% say it makes no difference at all.

Students were also asked how often homework helps them understand a topic better:

• 83% of students report that homework helps their understanding, at least sometimes. 

• A significant proportion of students (15%) say homework rarely helps their understanding of topics.

• 2% of students say homework never helps them to understand a topic better.

Challenges Students Face with Homework

The emotional cost of homework emerged as a theme throughout our survey. 

• Just over half of survey respondents (58%) find homework at least moderately stressful.

• 24% of females find homework very or extremely stressful compared with 15% of males.

• 9% of students do not find homework stressful at all.

These findings are consistent with wider research. Globally, around 74% of students consider homework a primary source of stress, second only to grades (Better Sleep Council). 

Sleep disruption is a significant concern:

• Only 10% of students say that homework never disrupts their sleep. 

• A huge 9 in 10 students have, at some point, lost sleep due to homework. 

Homework also cuts into students' personal time. 84% of students report some loss of free time as a result of homework.

Caption: An illustration showing three homework statistics about stress, sleep and free time.
Alt text: Graphic showing the impact of homework on stress levels, sleep and free time. 

Support with Homework & Expectations

When asked whether homework expectations are fair for their age, student opinion was split:

• 45% of students think expectations are fair.

• 31% think they aren’t.

• 23% are unsure.

This suggests that for around a third of pupils, the current volume or nature of homework doesn’t feel reasonable.

On attitudes towards changing homework levels, the picture is moderate. 

• 54% want homework to stay the same.

• 34% want it reduced.

• 12% want it increased.

Homework & Digital Tools

Online Resources Used for Homework

The rise of online learning has changed how students approach homework. Most no longer rely solely on textbooks or notes. Many are now choosing to add digital resources to their studies.

AI & Homework

A 2025 study by Oxford University Press found that nine in ten students felt they were developing important skills when using AI to help with their schoolwork (OUP, 2025). And, according to Save My Exams’ own data, 75% of students are now using AI to help with their homework. 

Just a few years ago, AI was in its infancy. Now, it permeates every aspect of our lives, including education. The proportion of 13 to 18-year-olds who say they use AI weekly has risen from 31% in 2024 to 46% in 2025 (National Literacy Trust). 

And, out of the Internet users aged over 16 that use AI, 23% use ChatGPT, making it the most widely used generative AI service (Ofcom). 

Homework at Home vs In-School Study Support

Parental Support & Independence

Home environment plays an important role in how effectively students can complete homework. According to our survey:

• 22% of students receive no support at all from their parents. 

• 24% not much support, and 34% some support. 

• 20% receive lots of support. 

Teacher support is more consistently available, though it’s not the same for everyone:

• 66% of students say they receive some or a lot of homework support from their teachers.

• Just 6% receive no support from teachers at all.

Access to Quiet Study Spaces

The ability to complete homework effectively at home depends on access to a quiet space, a device, and an internet connection. It’s important to create that all-important optimum study space. 

Research consistently highlights access as a key variable. Disadvantaged students in England are far less likely to have access to a quiet study space or stable internet connection, while possibly receiving less parental support to complete home learning tasks (Education Endowment Fund). 

The Future of Homework

Shifts Toward Hybrid & Digital Homework

The lines between in-school and at-home learning are blurring. Digital platforms now allow students to:

• Access feedback

• Track their progress

• Revisit content at their own pace

51% of students are choosing to use AI as part of their learning routine to save time (HEPI). This is a trend that shows no sign of slowing down. Homework is becoming more adaptive and deeply personalised because of AI.

Personalised & Adaptive Homework Models

So, what is adaptive homework? This is where tasks adjust to a student's performance level, providing challenge without being overwhelming. 

AI tools are beginning to make this feasible at scale, with some schools trialling platforms that tailor the content and difficulty of homework to individual students in real time. 

Adaptive learning models in Norwegian primary schools have been studied, and have shown great success in maths learning by rote (Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy). And, in South Korea the rollout of AI digital textbooks began in March 2025 for grades 3, 4, 7, and 10, covering subjects like English, Maths, and Korean (World Bank).

Teacher & Student Attitudes Toward Change

Most students in our survey (54%) are content with current homework levels, suggesting that huge reductions may not be what students want. The most impactful homework for students concentrates on the quality rather than quantity of tasks set (Education Endowment Fund). 

Meanwhile, teachers are having to manage the growing use of AI for homework completion which is forcing a rethink of what homework is for, and how its impact can be assessed. 

As National Literacy Trust research notes, nearly nine in ten teachers believe students should be taught how to engage critically with AI tools. This view will, no doubt, shape how homework tasks are designed in the future (National Literacy Trust).

How Save My Exams Supports Students With Their Homework

At Save My Exams, we know that homework can feel overwhelming, especially as students start to work towards GCSEs, IGCSEs, A Levels, IB, or AP courses. That's why we've built a platform packed with comprehensive study resources, including:

• Revision notes - for independent study at home

• Exam questions - to boost confidence and practice exam technique 

• Flashcards - for short burst at-home learning

Whether students are stuck on a tricky concept or want to consolidate what they’ve learned in class, our resources are there to bridge the gap between the classroom and home, giving every student the support they need to succeed. 

Appendix: Full List of Homework Statistics

1. 50% of UK students spend six or more hours per week on homework, with 10% spending 13 hours or more (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

2. 83% of students say homework helps them understand topics better at least sometimes, while only 2% say it never does (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

3. 72% believe homework improves their grades at least a little, though fewer than 1 in 5 say it makes a significant difference (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

4. 58% of students find homework at least moderately stressful, but 10% say it’s not stressful at all (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

5. Nearly 1 in 4 students (24%) say they often lose sleep because of homework (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

6. Only 20% of students receive a lot of parental support with homework, while 22% receive none at all (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

7. Finnish students receive just 2-3 hours of homework each week and consistently hit the top 5 of the best education systems in the world rankings (VisitEDUfinn)

8. Students in the United States spend an average of 6.8 hours completing homework each week (NCES)

9. The US is ranked 31st in the world for its education system (World Population Review)

10. In China, homework is banned for primary school children in Grades 1 and 2 (Taipei Times)

11. In Poland, homework is optional for children in Years 4 - 8, meaning they can choose not to complete it (Notes from Poland)

12. Most benefit is gained from one to two hours of homework per night for secondary students (Stanford Graduate School of Education)

13. Only 14% of students spend 0–2 hours per week completing homework (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

14. More than a third of students (36%) complete 3–5 hours per week of homework each week (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

15. Nearly a quarter (23%) of students are spending nine or more hours on homework weekly (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

16. 4% of students are spending the equivalent of a part-time job - over 17 hours - just on homework each week (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

17. 22% of students say homework doesn't really make a difference to their grades (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

18. 6% of students were unsure or say homework makes no difference at all to their grades (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

19. A significant proportion of students (15%) say homework rarely helps their understanding of topics (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

20. 2% of students say homework never helps them to understand a topic better (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

21. 24% of females find homework very or extremely stressful compared with 15% of males (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

22. Globally, around 74% of students consider homework a primary source of stress, second only to grades (Better Sleep Council)

23. Only 10% of students say that homework never disrupts their sleep (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

24. A huge 9 in 10 students have, at some point, lost sleep due to homework (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

25. 16% of students say it homework doesn’t really affect their free time or has no impact at all (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

26. 84% of students report some loss of free time as a result of homework  (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

27. 45% of students think homework expectations are fair (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

28. For just under a third of pupils, the current volume or nature of homework doesn’t feel reasonable (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

29. 54% of students want homework levels to stay the same (Save My Exams Survey, 2026) 

30. Nine in ten students feel they are developing important skills when using AI to help with their schoolwork (OUP, 2025)

31. 75% of students are using AI to help with their homework (Save My Exams)

32. The proportion of 13 to 18-year-olds who say they use AI weekly has risen from 31% in 2024 to 46% in 2025 (National Literacy Trust)

33. Of the Internet users aged over 16 that use AI, 23% use ChatGPT, making it the most widely used generative AI service (Ofcom)

34. 46% of students receive not much or no parental support at all when completing homework (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

35. 66% of students say they receive some or a lot of homework support from their teachers  (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

36. 6% of students receive no homework support from teachers at all (Save My Exams Survey, 2026)

37. Disadvantaged students in England are far less likely to have access to a quiet study space or stable internet connection, while possibly receiving less parental support to complete home learning tasks (Education Endowment Fund)

38. 51% of students are choosing to use AI as part of their learning routine to save time (HEPI)

39. Adaptive learning models in Norwegian primary schools have been studied, and have shown great success in maths learning by rote (Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy)

40. In South Korea the rollout of AI digital textbooks began in March 2025 for grades 3, 4, 7, and 10, covering subjects like English, Maths, and Korean (World Bank)

41. Nearly nine in ten teachers believe students should be taught how to engage critically with AI tools (National Literacy Trust)

References

Primary Research:

• Save My Exams Homework Survey (2026) - Survey of 2,297 UK students

Secondary Research:

• VisitEDUfinn (opens in a new tab)

• NCES (opens in a new tab)

• World Population Review (opens in a new tab)

• Taipei Times (opens in a new tab)

• Notes from Poland (opens in a new tab)

• Stanford Graduate School of Education (opens in a new tab)

• Better Sleep Council (opens in a new tab)

• OUP (opens in a new tab)

• Save My Exams

• National Literacy Trust (opens in a new tab)

• Ofcom (opens in a new tab)

• Education Endowment Fund (opens in a new tab)

• HEPI (opens in a new tab)

• Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy (opens in a new tab)

• World Bank (opens in a new tab)

• National Literacy Trust - AI in Literacy (opens in a new tab)