ITV News Index

ComRes interviewed 2,047 British adults online between 3^rd and 5^th January 2014. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults aged 18+.

Date Published: 07 Jan 2014

Categories: Economy | Politics | Public and communities | UK

Description

COMRES / ITV NEWS POLL: PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE ECONOMY REACHES RECORD HIGH

 

 

As Chancellor George Osborne warns that more spending cuts will be required after the next election, the latest News Index poll conducted by ComRes for ITV News reveals that economic confidence is at an all-time high. 36% of Britons say that the UK economy has improved in the last three months - the highest figure since the question was first asked when polling began in October 2010. Three in ten (30%) say that it has got worse – a joint record low.

 

When it comes to economic expectations for the future, more than two in five Britons (43%) expect the UK economy to improve this year. This is a 12 percentage point increase on the proportion who said the same this time last year, about the outlook for 2013. 38% expect that the UK economy will not improve.

 

A joint record number of Britons (17%) say that their personal financial situation has improved in the last three months, equalling last month’s figure. This suggests that despite continued concerns, a growing number of the British public are seeing improvements in their own financial position as economic growth continues. However, economic optimism doesn’t seem to translate to optimism on a personal level looking forward into 2014. Half of the British public (50%) do not expect their personal financial situation to improve this year.

 

Despite Chancellor Osborne’s emphasis on spending cuts, there is only a slight increase in the number of people who expect the government’s Budget deficit to be lower at the end of this year than it is now (38%). 30% disagree and 32% do not know. 

 

When it comes to global security, the British public is generally pessimistic about the outlook for 2014. Three in five (63%) say they do not expect the world to be a safer place in 2014, while only one in seven (15%) do expect it to be safer. This remains unchanged from the outlook towards 2013.

 

 

Results:

 

Q: Do you agree or disagree with each of these statements about the outlook for 2014?

 

Option	Agree	Disagree	Don’t know
I expect the UK economy to improve in 2014	43% (+12)	38% (-13)	19% (+1)
I expect that the Government’s Budget deficit will be lower at end of 2014 than it is now	38%	30%	32%
I am worried about the security of my or my partner's job prospects	31% (-2)	44% (+10)	25% (-8)
I expect that there will be another recession in 2014	31%	39%	30%
I expect my personal financial situation will improve in 2014	30% (+5)	50% (-5)	20% (0)
I am optimistic that the world will be a safer place in 2014	15% (0)	63% (0)	22% (+1)

 

Base: All respondents (n=2,047). Numbers in parentheses are changes from 17^th December 2012 regarding the outlook for 2013.

 

Q: Do you, or would you, trust each of the following politicians to see the country through the current economic situation?

 

Option	Yes	No	Don’t know
Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne	26%	53%	21%
Prime Minister, David Cameron	32%	50%	18%
Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg	15%	66%	19%
Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband	22%	58%	20%
Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls	17%	60%	23%
Leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage	15%	61%	24%

 Base: All respondents (n=2,047)