New data reveals how many Brits swear, and which city has the UK’s foulest mouths

New data from YouGov has revealed that a whopping 57% of Brits swear regularly, with only 6% of Brits claiming never to swear.

Whilst swearing is rude and completely inappropriate in most situations, some studies have proven that swearing has benefits, such as pain relief and emotional release.

Alongside the latest YouGov data, a recent study from Preply has revealed which cities in the UK have the foulest mouths. Alongside this, Preply languages expert Amy Pritchett has explained some benefits that swearing can have.

10 UK cities that swear the most:

Sheffield – 23 swears per day
Bradford – 18
Derby – 15
3. Cardiff – 15
3. Leicester – 15
Southampton – 14
Newcastle – 12
5. Liverpool – 12
Leeds – 11
Nottingham – 10

According to Preply’s survey, a regular Brit swears around 10.46 times per day – much less than the American daily average of 21. However, Sheffielders eclipse the national average by swearing a whopping 23 times a day, to claim the title of the UK’s biggest swearers.

They also discovered that men use swear words more often (12.98 times per day) than women (8.23 times per day) and that younger generations have a greater tendency to use foul language. On average, Brits aged 16-24 curse 14 times a day, whereas respondents who are 55+ swear 7 times daily.

To determine which cities swear the most in the UK, Preply asked respondents how often they use foul language daily. With the responses, they calculated the daily average number of times people swear in the UK.

Amy Pritchett, languages expert at Preply, has shared some reasons why swearing can be beneficial for things such as pain relief and emotional release:

“Swearing, when used in appropriate situations, can have certain benefits. Studies have shown that swearing can increase pain tolerance and decrease perceived pain. It is thought that swearing may activate the body’s natural ‘fight or flight’ response, which can reduce the perception of pain.

“It can also provide an emotional release and help individuals to express anger, frustration, or other intense emotions. This can be particularly helpful when an individual feels powerless or helpless.

“Swearing can also be used as a form of social bonding, particularly among peers or in certain subcultures. Using taboo language can be a way of demonstrating shared experiences or values. Similarly, swear words can be used for comedic effect and can be a source of humour in certain contexts.

“However, it is important to note that swearing has downsides, including offending others, damaging relationships, and contributing to a negative or aggressive communication style. It is important to use good judgement when deciding whether or not to use taboo language.”

Amy has provided a list of words that aren’t technically curses, but can be used as less taboo substitutes for swearing:

Sugar

With the S in ‘sugar’ pronounced as a ‘sh’, it almost sounds like you’re about to say a certain swear word. However, ‘sugar’ is a word you’re unlikely to be told off for using.

Fiddlesticks

A good substitute for another word beginning with ‘F’, and also quite a humorous substitute that won’t land you in bother.

Balderdash

A perfect alternative to certain words beginning with ‘B’ that suggest something is untrue or nonsense.

Son of a gun

Better to react to some shocking news referring to a son of a gun, rather than a son of something else entirely.

Shut the front door

Another one to use in a situation that leaves you shocked, describe asking someone to ‘shut the front door’ instead of shutting their mouth, so to speak.