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Concern about household expenses

8 Jul 2014

Q. How concerned or unconcerned are you about the current costs of each specific expense for your household?

 

Total concerned

Total not concerned

 

Very

Quite

Not very 

Not at all 

Don’t know

Household does not have this expense

Electricity

80%

18%

49%

31%

15%

3%

2%

1%

Health or medical (includes health insurance)

76%

19%

42%

34%

16%

3%

2%

3%

Transport (petrol, car, public transport)

74%

23%

35%

39%

20%

3%

2%

1%

Food and groceries

70%

29%

29%

41%

24%

5%

2%

*

Water

63%

30%

29%

34%

23%

7%

2%

6%

Home insurance

61%

29%

27%

34%

23%

6%

3%

6%

Gas

54%

24%

27%

27%

18%

6%

2%

21%

Mortgage or rent

53%

26%

26%

27%

18%

8%

2%

18%

Education

51%

24%

26%

25%

16%

8%

2%

23%

Telephone

51%

45%

20%

31%

34%

13%

2%

1%

Internet

47%

51%

19%

28%

38%

13%

2%

The household expenses of most concern were electricity (80% concerned), health or medical (76%), transport (74%) and food and groceries (70%).

For most expenses there were not major differences across demographic groups.

Those aged 25-44 were a little more concerned about food and groceries (76%) and mortgage and rent (70%). Education was of higher concern to those aged 18-24 (72%) and 35-44 (70%).

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