Britons stressed by paperwork at home

Britons are now spending their weekends weighed down by a mountain of bills, and bumf - and the stress is starting to tell on them

Britons are now spending their weekends weighed down by a mountain of bills, and bumf - and the stress is starting to tell on them

In an ICM survey of 1,000 people to be published this week, tax returns were named as the most irritating of all tasks, closely followed by insurance claims and mortgage applications. Over half of those questioned admitted to being "baffled" by tax documents while a quarter said bills and bank statements were "difficult to understand". In total, 73 per cent were found to spend the equivalent of one Saturday a month on paperwork.

One authority on stress disorders has warned it could even have serious mental health implications.

"There's a whole gamut of things that people are concerned about – everything from rent, insurance and household bills to school fees," said Dr Andrina McCormack, a consultant psychologist. "Many of these commitments are time-dependent, which adds to the pressure. If you miss deadlines, you get fines

"This can build up into a chronic stress cycle."