Housework is becoming less of a priority for men and women as they try to juggle personal time with hectic work schedules.

The traditional role of the woman in the home has been changing for years, with men bearing more of the domestic burden.

But domestic life is now taking a bruising with a new survey revealing how people spent 30 minutes less per day doing their daily chores in 2005 than they did in 2000.

The 2005 Time Use Survey found 77 per cent of men and 92 per cent of women spent some time each day on housework, compared with 86 per cent of men and 96 per cent of women five years ago.

A cross-section of people in Bradford said cleaning was being pushed to the bottom of the pile as pressured working lives meant valuable time was channelled towards children, families and social activities.

Part-time house husband Bob Cannell left his post as councillor for Shipley West in 1998, because he could not balance the two roles. He now works as a personnel manager from his home in Heaton Grove, Frizinghall.

"I was tired of missing out on seeing my children," he said. "In Britain, people are still working longer hours despite the working time regulations. And there is pressure to work even harder. Housework is labour-intensive so it gets cut out.

"There are so many options which people can utilise in their free time. For example, people spend hours researching on the internet.

"Parents are getting more involved in children's education as there is a lot more expectation. Society has got more competitive it's not good enough that children are average, they have to be the best."

Mr Cannell said the middle classes were employing more cleaners. "There's a huge hidden economy of cleaners that are not going through the tax system. I think middle class people are a bit ashamed of having cleaners because of the stigma of still having a servant," he said. "Plus, we think we ought to be able to do it ourselves and do it all."

Sarah Firth, 29, a Bradford Council worker, shares the housework with her husband.

She said: "When you are at work you do not have much spare time and I spend this sorting out the kids, trying to go out to play groups and sitting down with the children.

"You do not want your children to be inadequate and want to give them the best start in life. Education is much more important now than it used to be.

"I'm also trying to get my own social life going and housework has become less of a priority. If you are happy your kids are happier."

Other findings in the survey included:

  • people spent less time in 2005 on eating, drinking, washing, dressing, reading, participating in sport and housework than they did in 2000
  • people spent more time sleeping, resting, socialising and participating in hobbies and games
  • women who worked full-time spent 151 minutes on domestic work compared with 113 minutes spent by men who worked full-time
What you say
  • I was a housewife for 30 years. I used to have a meal on the table for my husband. That was the tradition. But nowadays most women go out to work and their families and husbands help out. Christine Hoyle, 68, of Eccleshill, retired
  • I do much more housework than I did five years ago. When I shared a house, I used to leave some for them to do. Now I live on my own I do a lot more. Plus I work part-time so I get more time to do it. Toni Blant, 40, a teacher at Hanson School, Eccleshill
  • I do the housework a couple of days a week. I spend less time doing it than I used to partly because things like a vacuum do the job straight away. I remember when you washed the clothes in a tin bath. Clive Muller, 47, of Bankfoot, does not work due to ill health
  • I did not do much housework when I was working. Now I see the man helping more in the house. Women go out to work because they need the money so the man should help.Brian Hoyle, 74, of Eccleshill, retired
  • I do as little housework as possible. There is a lot of fun out there and being an artist and involved in committees and community groups, I do not get much time. I leave washing up until the evening. Beryl Wheal, 72, of Shipley, retired
  • I live with my mother and do not do as much housework as I should. But when I move out I would help my girlfriend. If you are trying to chase a career it's hard to keep up. People want to do more fun activities than cleaning. Dimitrios Tsinarian, 24, of Barkerend, student