ITV News Index – Economy Poll

ComRes interviewed 2,035 British adults online between 18th and 20th July 2014. Data were weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

Date Published: 26 Jul 2014

Categories: Economy | Financial Services | Public and communities | UK

Description

 The economy over time

 

·         Just 29% of Britons think that the economy has improved over the past three months, an eleven percentage point fall since January this year when 40% said the same. More people now say that the economy has got worse (35%) than better for the first time since November 2013.

·         There is some perception that the economy has recovered since the 2008 financial crash, with 41% saying that the economy is stronger than at any point since then, although 30% disagree.

·         But there is a large sense that the economy remains fragile: half of Britons disagree that the economy is stronger now than it was ten years ago, despite it being 10% larger than at this point in 2004 according to the ONS.

 

Personal finances

 

·         Despite some sense of economic recovery, people remain of the opinion that this is not improving their own situation: two thirds (69%) agree that despite the economy growing, they don’t feel better off, while half (55%) say that only the rich are benefitting from the improving economy.

·         Although only 35% of Britons say that their personal finances are getting worse (the joint lowest since 2010), only 14% say that they are getting better, most saying that they are about the same (52%).

·         In line with this, 62% think that the gap between rich and poor has got worse over the past three months.