Fewer UK people now fear for their jobs than in 2011
Fifteen per cent of Britons think it likely that they, or a close friend or relative will lose their job in the next six months because of economic conditions, according to a new poll by Ipsos. This compares to 24% in February 2011, since when the percentage has been slowly falling. Highest level of concern about becoming unemployed is in Spain where 43% of Spaniards fear for their job or the job of someone in their family or a close friend because of economic conditions. The lowest level of anxiety is in Sweden where only 7% believe it likely that someone they know personally will lose their job in the next six months.
Bobby Duffy, Managing Director of the Social Research Institute at Ipsos, said:
“A key unexpected feature of the economic crisis and its aftermath is that employment levels in the UK have held up relatively well.” “This is reflected in public opinion, where just 15 per cent of people in Britain are worried about themselves, their friends or family losing their jobs. People are still pessimistic about the economy, but fear of unemployment is lower than it was a year ago – when up to a quarter were worried about job loss.” “Concern is also much lower than many European countries – 43 per cent in Spain and 25 per cent in Italy expect to be affected by job loss in the next 6 months."
Technical Note
This poll was conducted using Ipsos Global @dvisor, which is a monthly online survey, conducted via the Global Ipsos Online Panel. Fieldwork was conducted online in 24 countries (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States) between 5 and 19 February 2013. An international sample of 18,147 adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada and age 16-64 in all other countries were interviewed. Approximately 1000+ individuals participated on a country-by-country basis via the Ipsos Online Panel with the exception of Argentina, Belgium, Hungry, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and Turkey were each have a sample approximately 500+. Weighting has been applied to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects the adult population according to the most recent country census data, and to provide results intended to approximate the intended sample universe.
