Petition · Department for Business and Trade

Establish a 'Less Scroll, More Soul' Bank Holiday: An Offline 'In-Community' Day

Open for signatures 204 signatures

What the petition asks

We think the country urgently needs a breather: an annual reset for our overwhelmed, disconnected lives. A day to log off, look up & reconnect. A government-backed opportunity to build awareness of the grip tech has on us & remind us of what matters in a healthy society: people, place and presence.
We are an addicted, distracted nation. There are studies suggesting 67.4 million hours a day are lost to scroll and that children spend less time outdoors (<1hr) than inmates. We think loneliness, anxiety and polarisation are spiralling & all this before consideration of specific harms: exploitation, misinformation & more.

We have fewer bank holidays than almost anywhere in Europe.

One offline day a year could provide not only a critical reset but an opportunity for charities to showcase community volunteering opportunities.

Timeline

24 Feb 2026 Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 204
Status Open for signatures
Department Department for Business and Trade
Opened 24 Feb 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.