Brits tell 34 lies a week - with 'I forgot' and 'I'll do it tomorrow' topping list

The top everyday lies Brits admit to telling include “I forgot”, “I'll do it tomorrow”, and “I am listening”, research has found.

As many as 80% of Brits admit to telling fibs, doing so an average of 34 times a week, according to a poll of 2,000 adults.

Other common mis-truths include “I'm busy then”, and “I haven't got any change” – as well as not being honest about how much money you spent on something.

And two in five (42%) believe they are convincing when it comes to being dishonest – but a further 43% they are not very believable fibbers.

The biggest reasons for lying include not wanting to offend others by revealing what you really think (52%), to keep people onside (34%), and to avoid a telling off (32%).

Eight in ten Brits admit to telling lies, doing so up to 34 times a week (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)

But more than half (51%) feel guilty when they don't tell the truth – according to the research commissioned by Uber Eats, the only food ordering service to deliver Honest Burgers.

And this might be with good reason – as two in five (42%) revealed a lie has come back to haunt them.

Following the findings, a pop-up booth called “Tasty Truths” will open to the public where they can confess their fibs – with those who do so receiving a free burger.

The study also found those polled are most likely to lie to a partner – with almost half (46%) of those who admit to lying having done just that.

Work colleagues (44%) came second, followed by employers (36%) – while 23% confessed to fibbing to a police officer, and 14% to their child’s teacher.

Other frequent mis-truths include “Nice to see you”, “I got stuck in traffic”, and “I don’t know what happened there”.

However, more than a third (37%) believe it’s never okay to stray from the truth, with 50% claiming honesty is always the best policy.

The study, carried out via OnePoll, also found nearly three-quarters (71%) believe they can tell when someone else is being dishonest.

The “Tasty Truths” pop-up will be in Liverpool on Thursday, 27 October, and London on Friday, 28 October, between 11:30 and 14:30 on both days.

TOP 20 MOST COMMON LIES:

1. “I forgot”

2. “I’ll do it tomorrow”

3. “I am listening”

4. “I’m busy then”

5. “Nice to see you”

6. “I haven’t got any change”

7. “I’ve got no money”

8. “I got stuck in traffic”

9. “Don’t know what happened there”

10. Not disclosing the actual price of an item you purchased

11. “I’m not very well”

12. “I’m looking forward to seeing you”

13. “That meal was nice”

14. “I’ve got a headache”

15. “The email went into my junk”

16. “I had to work late”

17. “The train/bus was late”

18. “I can’t/couldn’t get any phone signal”

19. “I enjoy my job”

20. “I like what you’re wearing”