The Community Charge

Q Do you support or oppose the government adopting the following policy? Replacing the system of domestic rates with a fixed charge paid by people in each household aged over 18

		Support	Oppose	Don't know	Net support
11 June 1987	%	43	39	18	+4
19 October 1987	%	37	49	14	-12
29-30 December 1987	%	23	65	12	-42
17-18 March 1988*	%	22	60	18	-38
3-6 June 1988	%	31	61	8	-30
November 1988	%	28	61	11	-33
16-17 March 1989	%	23	69	8	-46
23-24 November 1989	%	25	68	7	-43
30 December 1989-3 January 1990	%	25	68	7	-43

Base: c. 1,000 GB adults aged 18+ in each survey * Q wording March 1988: "Q. Do you support or oppose the government's proposal to replace the current system of domestic rates with a fixed charge paid by people in each household aged over 18, known as the 'Community Charge' or 'Poll Tax'?"

Q (March) On the whole would you say you approve or disapprove of the community charge or poll tax? Q (April) As you may know, the government has recently replaced the system of local rates with a community charge or poll tax paid by every adult in each household. On balance do you approve or disapprove of this charge?

		Approve	Disapprove	Don't know	Net approve
3-5 March 1990	%	19	76	5	-57
19-24 April 1990	%	23	73	4	-50

Base: c. 1,000 GB adults aged 18+ in each survey

Q The government is reviewing the Community Charge or Poll Tax. Which of these three options would you most like to see for raising finance for Local Government spending?

	8 March 1991
	%
Keep the community charge/poll tax as it is now	9
Have a charge based only on the value of people's homes	52
Have a charge based partly on the value of people's homes plus a flat rate (e.g. £100) per adult living there	31
Other	6
No opinion	2

Base: c. 1,000 GB adults aged 18+