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Economic issues

23 Feb 2016

Do you think the following have become better or worse compared to 12 months ago?

  Total better Total worse A lot better A little better No change A little worse A lot worse Don’t know Total better Nov

2015

Total worse Nov 2015
Company profits 30% 22% 10% 20% 31% 15% 7% 17% 37% 18%
Your personal financial situation 18% 42% 3% 15% 37% 29% 13% 3% 20% 43%
Wages 14% 35% 2% 12% 41% 24% 11% 9% 16% 38%
The economy overall 12% 55% 3% 9% 26% 35% 20% 6% 15% 53%
National debt 9% 56% 3% 6% 25% 30% 26% 10% 11% 51%
Job security 11% 53% 3% 8% 29% 31% 22% 7% 10% 56%
Unemployment 13% 53% 2% 11% 26% 31% 22% 8% 10% 59%
Electricity costs 9% 62% 2% 7% 24% 33% 29% 4% 8% 70%
Cost of living 7% 71% 2% 5% 18% 40% 31% 3% 7% 75%

A substantial majority believe that, in the last 12 months, cost of living (71%), electricity costs (62%) and national debt (56%) and the economy overall (55%) have all got worse. The only economic measure that has got better is company profits (30% better/22% worse).

Compared the last time this question was asked in November, there has been a drop in the percentage that think electricity costs (down 8% to 62%) and unemployment (down 6% to 53%) have got worse. However, those thinking the national debt has got worse have increased 5 points to 56%.

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