Economic optimism in the United Kingdom has plunged to its lowest level since February, with a majority of adults (53%) thinking that the economy will get worse over the next 12 months, an Ipsos Mori survey showed on Tuesday
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2021) Economic optimism in the United Kingdom has plunged to its lowest level since February, with a majority of adults (53%) thinking that the economy will get worse over the next 12 months, an Ipsos Mori survey showed on Tuesday.
According to the poll conducted from September 17-23 even before the shortage of tanker truck drivers led to a panic buying spree that has left dozens of gas stations dried over the weekend only 31% of the 1,008 adults interviewed by phone believed economy will improve, compared with 44% in August.
"The relative optimism we saw for the economy as vaccines were rolled out earlier this year has been replaced with pessimism, and the rate of concern seems to be accelerating," Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos Mori, was quoted as saying.
Pessimism is higher among women (61%), followed by public sector workers and renters, the poll found.
Members of the ruling Conservative Party were more optimistic, with 54% thinking that the economy will improve, but the figure is down 9 points compared with August's data.
Although the survey was conducted before the fuel crisis escalated, the price of electricity and gas will go up from October after the UK energy market regulator set out a 12% rise in the energy price cap for some 15 million customers in its purview.
The government will also scrap the 20 ($27) increase to Universal Credit that benefits people who have a low household income, and rise contributions to the National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points to fund a reform of the COVID-19-stricken health and social care systems.
