Tim lives in Milnthorpe, south Cumbria, with his wife Rosie, his daughters Isabella and Gracie and his sons Jude and Laurie. In his limited spare time, Tim enjoys following the (mis)fortunes of Blackburn Rovers, playing football, fell running, walking in the Lake District, listening to various kinds of music and spending time with family and friends.

In July 2015 Tim was elected leader of the Liberal Democrats. He stood down in June 2017 following the General Election and now is the party's spokesperson for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.