Immigration seen as the biggest issue facing Britain while concern about crime surges

• Thirty-four per cent of Britons name immigration as an important issue for the country, making it the biggest issue for the first time since October 2016
• Concern about crime jumps nineteen points compared with July; 25% now see it as a big issue for Britain
• Race relations is a top ten issue for the first time since 2020

The August 2024 Ipsos Issues Index shows increases in concern about immigration and especially crime and race relations in the aftermath of anti-immigration riots seen across the UK early this month. Fieldwork was conducted from 7 – 13 August, immediately after the unrest.

Thirty-four per cent say immigration is now an important issue for the country, putting it top of the issues list for the first time in almost eight years. This includes 75% of Reform UK supporters (though note small base size), 62% of Conservative party supporters, 45% of those from social grade C2 and 43% of those aged 65 and over.

However the biggest change since July is in the proportion who see crime as an issue. This stands at 25%, up from just six per cent a month ago. This is the highest post-pandemic score for crime; the last time concern was above this level was in August 2019. Worry about the NHS has declined by a similar amount since its election-era high, although it is still a big issue for three in ten Britons and ranks second overall.

The proportion of Britons who see race relations as a big concern has also jumped sharply; 11% say it is an important issue, the highest score since June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd in the United States. Concern is higher among those from ethnic minority backgrounds (26%) and younger people (19% among 18-24 year olds).
 

Mike Clemence at Ipsos said:

The impact of the recent riots across the UK is clear in this month’s data. Immigration has returned as the top issue for the country for the first time since 2016, while the level of concern about crime and race relations has also surged to recent highs.

While concern about the NHS has fallen sharply since its election high point it remains a significant issue for the country, alongside the economy and inflation, with clear differences in priorities by age and party support.

Technical Note

Ipsos' Issues Index is conducted monthly and provides an overview of the key issues concerning the country. Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of c.1,000 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. The answers are spontaneous responses, and participants are not prompted with any answers. Ipsos’ telephone omnibus was used for this survey. Interviews were conducted between 7-13 August 2024. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.