The EU and Brexit is seen as the most important issue facing Britain

This month the Ipsos/Economist Issues Index shows that the public consider concerns about the EU and Britain’s exit to be the leading issue facing Britain. At 39%, concern has risen seven percentage points since October, and now stands just one percentage point behind the level recorded in July this year, when concern reached the highest level since April 1997 in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote.

Concern about both immigration and the NHS make up the rest of the top three: this month 35% mention immigration as an important issue and 32% say the NHS.

The EU and Brexit is also seen by the largest proportion as the single biggest issue facing Britain – one quarter (26%) feel that concerns about Brexit are the single biggest issue, compared to 18% who mention immigration and eight per cent who say the same for the NHS.

Concern about the EU this month is high amongst demographic sub-groups that were likely to have voted for and against Brexit at the referendum. For example, concern is high amongst those from social grades AB (54%), people living in Scotland (56%) and broadsheet newspaper readers (54%) – but it is also high amongst those aged 55 and over (45%), the south east of England (46%) and Conservative party supporters (47%). Men are more likely than women to name the EU as an issue, by 44% to 35%.

• Download the survey topline (PDF)
• Download the computer tables (PDF)
• Download the charts (PDF)

Technical note

Ipsos's Issues Index is conducted monthly and provides an overview of the key issues concerning the country. Ipsos interviewed a representative quota sample of 973 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. The questions are spontaneous - i.e. respondents are not prompted with any answers. 

Ipsos's Capibus vehicle was used for this survey. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in-home between 4^th and 24^th November at 184 sampling points across Great Britain. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.