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Cost of living concerns

19 Sep 2017

Q. Which three of the following costs of living are you most concerned about –

  Total   First Second Third   Aged 18-34 Aged 35-54 Aged 55+
Electricity and gas 46%   24% 15% 7%   42% 52% 43%
Housing – mortgage or rent 34%   18% 10% 6%   47% 39% 12%
Medical, dental 25%   5% 8% 12%   18% 28% 28%
Fresh food – fruit, vegetables, meat 21%   6% 7% 8%   25% 19% 20%
Petrol 15%   5% 4% 6%   19% 13% 14%
Insurance 14%   2% 6% 6%   13% 15% 12%
Education 10%   2% 3% 5%   12% 14% 3%
Water 8%   1% 3% 4%   9% 8% 9%
Packaged food 5%   2% 1% 2%   10% 3% 2%
Clothing 1%   <1% <1% 1%   2% 1%
All of them – no one cost of living in particular 34%           29% 31% 44%
None of them 2%           1% 1% 4%

 

 

  Total   Financially comfortable Managing Under financial pressure
Electricity and gas 46%   49% 50% 38%
Housing – mortgage or rent 34%   31% 35% 37%
Medical, dental 25%   31% 27% 13%
Fresh food – fruit, vegetables, meat 21%   24% 23% 14%
Petrol 15%   20% 14% 10%
Insurance 14%   15% 14% 11%
Education 10%   11% 11% 5%
Water 8%   8% 9% 11%
Packaged food 5%   8% 4% 3%
Clothing 1%   0% 1% 1%
All of them – no one cost of living in particular 34%   28% 34% 46%
None of them 2%   3% 0% 1%

 

The costs most respondents were concerned about were electricity and gas (46%), housing (34%), medical/dental (25%) and fresh food (21%).

 

Those aged 18-34 were most concerned about costs of housing (47%), electricity and gas (42%) and fresh food (25%).

Those aged 35-54 were most concerned about costs of electricity and gas (52%), housing (39%) and medical/dental (28%).

Those aged 55+ were most concerned about costs of electricity and gas (52%) and medical/dental (28%).

However, 44% of those aged 55% said they were concerned about all of them compared to 29% of those aged 18-34.

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