ITV News Cuts Index

ITV News Cuts Index for publication on 26 July 2011

Date Published: 25 Jul 2011

Categories: Economy | Politics | Public and communities | UK

Description

Public concern about personal finance and state of UK economy reaches record high

 

The latest Cuts Index, conducted by ComRes and to be broadcast on ITV News at Ten, reveals that as GDP figures show economic growth in the UK has slowed down, public concern about their personal financial situation, family’s future and state of the economy has reached astonishing levels, matched only by March’s results when Chancellor George Osborne announced his Budget.

 

As Prime Minister David Cameron hailed GDP figures as ‘positive’, in contrast, more than half of the public (56%) say they are more worried about their personal financial situation than they were three months ago. Levels of concern have increased from 50% last month and 43% from when the Cuts Index began last October. Concern has climbed to the peak figure seen in March (56%), the highest since the Cuts Index began.

 

Moreover, two thirds of the public (62%) are worried about the state of the UK economy - a sharp increase from 52% in June and a difference of 20% from October 2010 when the figure stood at 42%.

 

When asked about their family’s future, again more than half (52%) of the public say they are more worried about it now than three months ago. This is supported by the lesser figures recorded a month ago when 45% were concerned and similarly back in October (41%).

In line with the findings above, trust scores for the three party leaders have also declined. Asked if they trust the following politicians to see the country through the current economic situation, more than half (53%) say they do not trust George Osborne compared to 47% this time last month and 37% in October. David Cameron does not fare any better – 53% do not trust him which has risen from 47% in June and 36% in October of last year. Finally, two thirds of the public (63%) do not trust Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg to lead us through the situation, a number which has climbed slightly since June (61%) but massively since last October (39%).

The findings of this poll will be broadcast on ITV News at Ten on Tuesday 26th July.

 

Methodology: ComRes interviewed 2027 GB adults online between 22nd and 24th July 2011.  Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults.