Three out of four Britons say public spending cuts haven’t affected them much, but concern about the future of the NHS is the highest it has been for 13 years, according to a wide-ranging new survey from Ipsos MORI.

1. Public services and austerity
October 2015
Contacts:
bobby.duffy@ipsos.com
gideon.skinner@ipsos.com
020 7347 3000

2. OVERALL VIEWS OF PUBLIC SERVICES
AND THE CUTS
• Three in four say they have been little affected by the cuts. Now many
fewer think they have been affected than in 2012, and concern about the
future impact of cuts has also dropped since then.
• This is despite more people thinking that public services have got worse
overall than better – though there has been no change about this since
2013.
• Most also disagree that the government’s policies will improve public
services – although this was similar under New Labour.

3. 3
People do not think they are being affected by
cuts – big increase in those “not at all” affected
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED A NUMBER OF SPENDING CUTS
TO HELP REDUCE THE NATIONAL DEBT TO WHAT EXTENT, IF AT ALL, HAVE YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY BEEN AFFECTED BY THE CUTS SO FAR?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI
8%
8%
25%
15%
49%
39%
10%
37%
8%
2%
November 2012
August 2015
A great deal A fair amount Not very much Not at all Don't know
76%23%
59%33%

4. 4
And concern about future effects of cuts decreased
significantly…
AND HOW CONCERNED, IF AT ALL, ARE YOU ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THE CUTS
ON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI
19%
19%
42%
27%
28%
30%
5%
22%
6%
1%
November 2012
August 2015
Very concerned Fairly concerned Not very concerned Not at all concerned Don't know
52%46%
33%61%

5. 5
This is despite people being more likely to think services have
got worse than better – though no change from two years ago
Base: 1,006 British adults 18+, 11th – 13th September 2015
THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICES OVERALL, DO YOU THINK THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC
SERVICES HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR HAS IT STAYED THE
SAME?
Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
3%
4%
12%
12%
42%
39%
20%
23%
20%
20%
3%
3%
September 2013
September 2015
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
16%
40%15%
43%

6. 6
And most still disagree the government has the right policies
for public services (although was similar under Labour)
On balance, do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
In the long term, this government’s policies will improve the state of Britain's
public services.
Base: c. 1,000 British adults 18+ every month Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Jun-01
Nov-01
Apr-02
Sep-02
Feb-03
Jul-03
Dec-03
May-04
Oct-04
Mar-05
Aug-05
Jan-06
Jun-06
Nov-06
Apr-07
Sep-07
Feb-08
Jul-08
Dec-08
May-09
Oct-09
Mar-10
Aug-10
Jan-11
Jun-11
Nov-11
Apr-12
Sep-12
Feb-13
Jul-13
Dec-13
May-14
Oct-14
Mar-15
Aug-15
56
37Agree
Disagree

7. HEALTH SERVICES
• More people think health and social
care services have got worse than in
2013.
• Users of health services remain as
divided over service quality as two
years ago, while users of GPs have
become more negative.
• Most (55%) are concerned about the
future of the NHS. This is the highest
level of concern since we began
measuring in 2002.

8. Public is seeing more decline in quality of health and
social care than they were two years ago
8
4%
2%
11%
7%
11%
10%
7%
11%
16%
17%
18%
17%
22%
27%
36%
34%
41%
33%
10%
16%
14%
19%
14%
19%
12%
20%
16%
16%
14%
19%
44%
24%
7%
7%
2%
3%
2013
2015
2013
2015
2013
2015
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
GP
surgeries
Hospitals
Care for the
elderly
Base: 1,006 British adults 18 11th – 13th September 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
27% 38%
29% 28%
24% 35%
27% 30%
13% 36%
11% 22%

9. Users also on balance negative – more so in the case
of GPs
9
9%
5%
11%
7%
10%
10%
13%
17%
16%
19%
19%
17%
27%
30%
36%
33%
42%
32%
13%
15%
15%
19%
14%
20%
19%
26%
17%
17%
14%
19%
12%
7%
5%
5%
1%
2%
2013 (210)
2015 (172)
2013 (888)
2015 (807)
2013 (938)
2015 (904)
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Users of
GP
surgeries
Users of
hospitals
Users of
care for the
elderly
Base: All whose household benefits from named service 11th – 13th September 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT STAYED
THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE? (ALL WHOSE HOUSEHOLD BENEFITS FROM
SERVICE)
27% 39%
29% 28%
26% 36%
27% 32%
22% 41%
22% 32%

10. 10
And when asked about the future of the NHS…
most are concerned
THINKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE NHS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT IT
TO…?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI
4%
15%
23%
32%
23%
2%
Get much better Get a little better Stay the same Get a little worse Get much worse Don’t know
19%
55%

11. … and this is the highest ever proportion expecting it
to get worse
Base: c.1,000 British adults each month
11THINKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE NHS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT IT TO…?
Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Mar-02
Oct-02
May-03
Dec-03
Jul-04
Feb-05
Sep-05
Apr-06
Nov-06
Jun-07
Jan-08
Aug-08
Mar-09
Oct-09
May-10
Dec-10
Jul-11
Feb-12
Sep-12
Apr-13
Nov-13
Jun-14
Jan-15
Aug-15
55
19
Better
Worse

12. EDUCATION AND
SKILLS
• Overall, perceptions of schools and
colleges more positive than negative,
but have become less optimistic over
the last two years – including among
users
• Perceptions of universities, though, are
more negative
• People remain pessimistic about future
opportunities for young people, but are
more optimistic about skills than in
2008

13. Effect on universities largely unknown, but slightly
more pessimism about schools and colleges than 2013
13
8%
9%
6%
20%
18%
8%
27%
30%
23%
9%
13%
13%
8%
9%
10%
29%
20%
40%
2013
Sep-15
Aug-15
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Universities
Schools and
colleges
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, and 11th – 13th September 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
14% 23%
27% 22%
28% 17%

14. Users of schools remain positive on balance, but less
so than in 2013
14
12%
14%
11%
31%
23%
17%
27%
28%
29%
12%
17%
19%
10%
14%
17%
5%
4%
6%
2013 (419)
Sep 2015 (413)
Aug 2015 (242)
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Universities
Schools and
colleges
Base: All whose household benefits from named service, 8th – 11th August 2015, and 11th – 13th September 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
28% 36%
37% 31%
43% 22%

15. 15
We’re evenly split of whether education will to
get better, worse or stay the same
THINKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT
IT TO…?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI
5%
26%
32%
23%
9%
5%
Get much better Get a little better Stay the same Get a little worse Get much worse Don’t know
31%
32%

16. And no big shifts in expectations of education
services: more negative than 2000s, but little shift since
Base: c.1,000 British adults each month
16
THINKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT IT
TO…?
Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
May-02
Sep-02
Jan-03
May-03
Sep-03
Jan-04
May-04
Sep-04
Jan-05
May-05
Sep-05
Jan-06
May-06
Sep-06
Jan-07
May-07
Sep-07
Jan-08
May-08
Sep-08
Jan-09
May-09
Sep-09
Jan-10
May-10
Sep-10
Jan-11
May-11
Sep-11
Jan-12
May-12
Sep-12
Jan-13
May-13
Sep-13
Jan-14
May-14
Sep-14
Jan-15
May-15
Sep-15
32
31
Better
Worse

17. 17
Public are more negative than positive about
whether opportunities for young people will improve
THINKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU
EXPECT IT TO…?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI
5%
28%
19%
28%
17%
3%
Get much better Get a little better Stay the same Get a little worse Get much worse Don’t know
33%
45%
Though 18-24s are the most
optimistic about their
opportunities improving over
the next few years – 55% of
18-24s think young people’s
opportunities will improve

18. Views of opportunities for young people also little
changed since 2008
Base: c.1,000 British adults each month
18
THINKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU
EXPECT IT TO…?
Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Sep-07
Jan-08
May-08
Sep-08
Jan-09
May-09
Sep-09
Jan-10
May-10
Sep-10
Jan-11
May-11
Sep-11
Jan-12
May-12
Sep-12
Jan-13
May-13
Sep-13
Jan-14
May-14
Sep-14
Jan-15
May-15
Sep-15
45
33
Better
Worse

19. 19
Yet despite negativity about young people’s
opportunities, they are more evenly split on skills
THINKING ABOUT SKILLS IN BRITAIN’S WORKFORCE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU
EXPECT IT TO…?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI
4%
33%
24%
25%
11%
5%
Get much better Get a little better Stay the same Get a little worse Get much worse Don’t know
37%
36%

20. And people increasingly optimistic on skills in Britain’s
workforce compared with pessimism in 2008
Base: c.1,000 British adults each month
20
THINKING ABOUT SKILLS IN BRITAIN’S WORKFORCE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT IT
TO…?
Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Sep-07
Jan-08
May-08
Sep-08
Jan-09
May-09
Sep-09
Jan-10
May-10
Sep-10
Jan-11
May-11
Sep-11
Jan-12
May-12
Sep-12
Jan-13
May-13
Sep-13
Jan-14
May-14
Sep-14
Jan-15
May-15
Sep-15
36
37
Better
Worse

21. LOCAL SERVICES AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Local services not perceived to have
taken a hit in quality in their bread-and-
butter street-scene services – lighting,
cleaning and bin collection.
• Slight declines in perceived quality of local
libraries and leisure centres, but still a
minority are unhappy
• Road maintenance remains the biggest
bugbear (although not quite as bad as two
years ago)
• Perceptions of local bus services and
public transport have also slightly
deteriorated

22. 13%
10%
27%
26%
7%
6%
8%
8%
16%
12%
21%
22%
12%
16%
12%
11%
45%
51%
37%
34%
54%
47%
58%
57%
11%
13%
6%
8%
10%
12%
9%
10%
12%
12%
6%
7%
11%
14%
8%
10%
3%
2%
3%
3%
5%
5%
4%
5%
2013
Aug-15
2013
Sep-15
2013
Aug-15
2013
Aug-15
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Street
lighting
Refuse
collection
Street
cleaning
Recycling
collection
No big shifts in views of local streetscene services – just
slight increases in people saying they’ve got worse
22
Base: c.1,000 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, and 11th – 13th September 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout
Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
19% 20%
20% 17%
19%
26%
22%
15%
22%
21%
48%
25%
48% 12%
29% 23%

23. 15%
12%
9%
7%
14%
10%
18%
20%
11%
12%
11%
14%
44%
46%
35%
35%
38%
33%
9%
10%
9%
14%
4%
9%
6%
6%
7%
9%
3%
6%
8%
6%
29%
23%
30%
29%
2013
Aug-15
2013
Sep-15
2013
Aug-15
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Leisure
centres
Parks and open
spaces
Libraries
Slightly greater shifts towards thinking leisure centres and
libraries have got worse – but relatively few noticing changes
23
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, and 11th – 13th September 2015
Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
24% 15%
25% 7%
20%
23%
33%
16%
19%
16%
32%
15%

24. 4%
4%
8%
8%
7%
10%
13%
11%
20%
28%
39%
37%
18%
18%
11%
14%
49%
39%
8%
11%
2%
2%
20%
20%
2013
Aug-15
2013
Aug-15
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Bus services
Road
maintenance
Concern about road maintenance still very high, if lower than in
2015, but more likely to think bus services have got worse
24
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
19% 25%
21% 19%
11%
57%14%
67%

25. 13%
11%
17%
14%
20%
16%
12%
10%
15%
16%
19%
21%
16%
19%
17%
16%
35%
40%
47%
47%
49%
43%
45%
42%
13%
19%
10%
11%
5%
12%
14%
15%
10%
10%
6%
5%
4%
7%
8%
13%
7%
4%
1%
1%
5%
4%
3%
5%
2013 (562)
2015 (413)
2013 (795)
2015 (847)
2013 (525)
2015 (509)
2013 (632)
2015 (601)
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
Bus
services
Leisure
centres
Parks
and
open
space
Libraries
Users of local services tend to be more positive than
non-users – little change in their views since 2013
25
Base: All whose household benefits from named service, 8th – 11th August 2015, and 11th – 13th September 2015,
Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout
Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT STAYED
THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE? (ALL WHOSE HOUSEHOLD BENEFITS FROM
SERVICE)
26% 28%
29% 23%
35% 19%
36% 9%
32%
16%
28% 23%
35%
29%27%
16%

26. 26
Expectations split on future of public transport
THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT IT TO…?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI
5%
21%
36%
24%
8%
6%
Get much better Get a little better Stay the same Get a little worse Get much worse Don’t know
26%
32%

27. Slight decline in optimism since 2008
Base: c.1,000 British adults each month
27THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT IT TO…?
Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Mar-02
Oct-02
May-03
Dec-03
Jul-04
Feb-05
Sep-05
Apr-06
Nov-06
Jun-07
Jan-08
Aug-08
Mar-09
Oct-09
May-10
Dec-10
Jul-11
Feb-12
Sep-12
Apr-13
Nov-13
Jun-14
Jan-15
Aug-15
26
32
Better
Worse

28. LOCAL POLICING
• More saying that they feel quality of
police has decreased now than in
2013
• Similarly, a third think quality of local
policing will get worse in the next few
years, and public is more pessimistic
than during the 2000s.

29. 5%
3%
10%
9%
43%
39%
15%
21%
13%
18%
13%
10%
2013
Sep-15
Got much better Got a little better Stayed the same Got a little worse Got much worse Don’t know
The police
Fears about declining quality of the force have
increased since 2013
29
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 11th – 13th September 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
DO YOU THINK [EACH SERVICE] HAS GOT BETTER OR WORSE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, OR HAS IT
STAYED THE SAME? IS THAT MUCH OR A LITTLE BETTER/WORSE?
12% 39%
28%15%

30. 30
A third also expect local policing to get worse in the
next few years
THINKING ABOUT THE WAY YOUR AREA IS POLICED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU
EXPECT IT TO…?
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI
3%
12%
46%
26%
9%
4%
Get much better Get a little better Stay the same Get a little worse Get much worse Don’t know
15%
35%

31. People are more pessimistic about policing than in the
2000s
Base: c.1,000 British adults each month
31
THINKING ABOUT THE WAY YOUR AREA IS POLICED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DO YOU EXPECT
IT TO…?
Source: Ipsos MORI
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Mar-02
Jun-02
Sep-02
Dec-02
Mar-03
Jun-03
Sep-03
Dec-03
Mar-04
Jun-04
Sep-04
Dec-04
Mar-05
Jun-05
Sep-05
Dec-05
Mar-06
Jun-06
Sep-06
Dec-06
Mar-07
Jun-07
Sep-07
Dec-07
Mar-08
Jun-08
Sep-08
Dec-08
Mar-09
Jun-09
Sep-09
Dec-09
Mar-10
Jun-10
Sep-10
Dec-10
Mar-11
Jun-11
Sep-11
Dec-11
Mar-12
Jun-12
Sep-12
Dec-12
Mar-13
Jun-13
Sep-13
Dec-13
Mar-14
Jun-14
Sep-14
Dec-14
Mar-15
Jun-15
15
35
Better
Worse

32. WELFARE
• Concern about the effect of welfare
cuts appears to be growing. Half say
the cuts have gone too far – and
even though on balance people think
they have been necessary, they are
less likely to think this than in 2013
• ABs remain the most likely to believe
the cuts have been necessary, but
much less than in 2013

33. 33
31%
27%
16%
21%
12%
18%
16%
15%
21%
16%
4%
3%
Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree
Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
2015
2013
Base: 1,006 British adults 18+, 11th – 13th September 2015,
Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout
Anniversary poll
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?
People more likely to agree than disagree that cuts to
welfare gone too far…
I THINK CUTS TO WELFARE AND BENEFITS HAVE GONE TOO FAR
48% 31%
37%47%

34. 34
29%
22%
30%
25%
11%
16%
9%
17%
16%
17%
6%
3%
Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree
Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
2015
2013
Base: 1,006 British adults 18+, 11th – 13th September 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?
…although they also think the cuts have been
necessary – but less so than in 2013
I THINK REDUCTIONS IN SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITS HAVE BEEN NECESSARY
But people are not
always consistent:
eg 37% of those
who think welfare
cuts have gone too
far also think that
the reductions in
benefits have been
necessary
47% 34%
25%59%

35. 35
40%
37%
25%
26%
16%
19%
17%
22%
11%
14%
11%
16%
10%
9%
18%
19%
18%
16%
26%
12%
6%
5%
4%
4%
Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree
Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
I think cuts to welfare
and benefits have
gone too far
AB 2013 (334)
Base: 1,006 British adults 18+, 11th – 13th September 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?
Social classes DE most likely to think welfare cuts gone
too far, but ABs are moving more in line with them
42% 44%
25%
48%
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?
DE 2013 (296)
DE 2015 (245)
AB 2015 (389)
56%
56%
31%
28%

36. 36
23%
22%
38%
21%
27%
20%
27%
32%
11%
15%
9%
15%
10%
14%
11%
15%
22%
24%
10%
15%
8%
5%
5%
3%
Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree
Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
I think reductions in
social welfare benefits
have been necessary
AB 2013 (334)
Base: 1,006 British adults 18+, 11th – 13th September 2015, Source: Ipsos MORI/2013 BBC Bailout Anniversary poll
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?
Most ABs still think cuts to welfare are necessary but
this attitude has softened since 2013
65% 21%
38%
53%
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?
AB 2015 (389)
42%
50%
30%
32%
DE 2013 (296)
DE 2015 (245)

37. CUTS AND MISPERCEPTIONS
• People think only 28% of “planned cuts” have
been made: this is lower than in 2012, when
people thought that 40% of cuts had been
made
• People are often very wrong on the nature
and scale of spending changes for individual
services – eg they think spending has gone
down on pensions (when it has gone up) and
think it’s gone up on education (when it’s
gone down)

38. 38
I WOULD NOW LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SPENDING ON DIFFERENT SERVICES OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING, PLEASE TELL ME BY WHAT PERCENT YOU THINK SPENDING HAS INCREASED OR
DECREASED IN REAL TERMS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS? PLEASE GIVE YOUR BEST ESTIMATE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE.
-20%
-9%
-12%
-6%
4%
-3%
-1%
-5%
-19%
0%
13%
-2%
-13%
1%
-49%
-5%
65%
11%
-54%
+44%
+14%
-15%
+19%
-4%
-7%
+6%
+11%Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015
Actual figures are differences between 2014/15 and 2009/10 public sector expenditure on services by sub-function as reported by the
Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2015 (2009/10 figures from 2014 publication) and adjusted using GDP deflators given by HM
Treasury [figures in brackets are exact definitions]. * Note that education figures for 2014/15 showed a significant decrease due to a
decreased impact of student loan impairments, which means the reduction from 2009/10 is larger than the reduction in spending in
previous years
Source: Ipsos MORI
Foreign aid [Foreign economic aid]
Housing [housing development: local
authority and other social housing]
Education [all education services from pre-primary
to tertiary and others*]
Pensions and old age benefits [pensions and
old age personal social services]
Transport [national and local roads, local public transport, railway
and other transport]
Other benefits [all social protection not including old age benefits and
pensions]
Health services / NHS [includes medical services
and research and central and other health services]
Defence [includes military, civil, R&D and
other defence and foreign military aid]
Policing [includes immigration and
citizenship and other police services]
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
Perceived
Actual
But they are often very wrong on how spending has actually changed
in the last 5 years – eg they think pension spend has decreased…
Gap

39. 39
AND WHAT PROPORTION OF THE GOVERNMENT’S PLANNED CUTS TO PUBLIC SPENDING DO YOU
THINK HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT SO FAR?
40%
28%
November 2012
August 2015
People think only 28% of planned cuts have been
made – less than they thought in 2012
Base: 1,001 British adults 18+, 8th – 11th August 2015 Source: Ipsos MORI
As clearly more cuts have been carried out in
the intervening years (although it is difficult to
give comparable figures on this as plans will
change over time) this does suggest that
expectations of cuts and austerity as ongoing
features of public spending are becoming
more strongly held (although note there are
some methodological differences - 2012
survey was carried out online among 16-75
year olds).

40. WHAT DO PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS
THINK?
• People working in the public sector are more likely to feel they have been
affected by the cuts so far (29%, compared with 19% of private sector
workers), and are more worried about the future impact of cuts (52% vs 38%).
• They are also more sceptical about the government’s policies for public
services – 70% of public sector workers disagree its policies will improve public
services in the long term, compared with 53% of private sector workers.
• However, there are fewer differences in expectations for the future of individual
public services. Public and private sector workers are equally pessimistic
about the future of the NHS, the environment, opportunities for young people,
and transport, although public sector workers are more pessimistic about the
future for skills in Britain’s workforce.

41. Public services and austerity
October 2015
Contacts:
bobby.duffy@ipsos.com
gideon.skinner@ipsos.com
020 7347 3000