Polishing shoes, laying the table and managing money: Here's the traditional skills that millennials are struggling with

New research has revealed the basic skills of millennials in completing everyday tasks and it’s no surprise that there’s a real generational gap.

The new study, commissioned by BUPA, shows that over-55s comfortably beat 25-34 year olds when it comes to traditional skills like wiring a plug, sewing buttons and how to properly polish shoes.

Specifically, the new research showed that some 70 percent of over 55s know how to lay a table properly, in contrast to only 39 percent of 25-34s.

THE SKILLS OF OVER 55s and MILLENIALS IN EVERYDAY TASKS

• How to iron a shirt 84% 51%

• How to sew on a button 81% 41%

• How to do times tables, without using a calculator 79% 41%

• How to use an index 77% 35%

• The percentage of over 55s appears first, before 25-34 year-olds

• The number of pounds in a stone 90% 52%

• How to read the time on an analogue clock 90% 61%

• The number of feet in a yard 90% 21%

• How to manage money 86% 52%

• How to spell without using spellcheck 72% 39%

• How to lay a table properly 70% 39%

• How and when to use correct grammar 67% 39%

• How to garden 66% 22%

• How long fresh foods keep for 63% 28%

• How to properly polish shoes 77% 28%

• How to use cutlery in the right order 77% 39%

• How to write a formal letter 77% 43%

• How to wire a plug 73% 21%

• How to treat a burn 62% 32%

• How to get stains out of clothes 58% 31%

• How to read an ordnance survey map 58% 24%

• The number of centimetres in an inch 57% 33%

• The collection times for your local post box 54% 18%

• The names of different birds 48% 17%

• How to repair worn or broken clothing 47% 17%

• How to tie a sling or bandage 45% 18%

• How to play chess 44% 27%

• How to administer first aid 43% 30%

• How to change a car tyre 43% 24%

• How to make a cake without following a recipe 43% 27%

• The price of a first class stamp 41% 20%

• The number of kilometres in a mile 37% 25%

• How to identify plants and flowers by name 37% 13%

• How to arrange flowers 34% 16%

• How to fix a bike chain 34% 21%

• How to start a campfire 33% 19%

• How to make marmalade or jam 31% 16%

• How to guess the weight of ingredients by looking at them 25% 17%

• How to crochet 23% 4%

• How to ballroom dance e.g. Waltz or Tango 15% 4%

• The names of different constellations of stars 15% 11%

• How to mend a car engine 10% 5%

Other skills that the older generation excelled at included how to change a car tyre, with some 43 percent of over 55s revealing their self-sufficiency.

Eight in 10 over 55s are also able to complete time tables in their heads, the survey revealed, compared with a relatively paltry four in 10 millennials.

But it seems that there’s a real appetite to change, with almost nine out of 10 millennials admitting their desire for more practical skills without having to turn to the internet for help.

Joan Elliott, managing director at Bupa Care Homes, said: ‘There’s so much we can learn from our older generations, but there’s a real danger that we’re losing valuable life skills.’