Londoners say cost of living is the top issue facing the capital
A new online poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of London Councils has found that the cost of living is now the most important issue facing London.
Close to one in five (18%) Londoners (18%) cited the cost of living as the most important issues facing the capital, the same proportion who mentioned COVID-19.
Taking all issues into account, more than three in five (62%) Londoners think the cost of living is one of the main issues facing London, ahead of crime and policing (54%), housing affordability (53%) and the COVID-19 pandemic (51%). Private renters are among those most likely to think the cost of living is one of the key issues.
The survey also reveals that, despite the challenges of COVID-19, Londoners are still no more likely to be considering leaving the capital than before the pandemic, though housing remains a huge challenge, with 80% agreeing that young people are being priced out of the local housing market.
Overall, most (62%) think that London will bounce back from the pandemic. However, Londoners are less optimistic that public services will improve in the next five years (35%), while two in five (41%) believe London’s economy will become weaker over the next five years.
Technical Note
Ipsos ran an online survey of 1,000 residents aged 18+ living in Greater London using their Online Access Panel, a panel of pre-recruited individuals who have agreed to take part in research. Fieldwork took place between 27 October and 15 November 2021 inclusive. Quotas were set by age, gender, work status and inner/outer London, with final data also weighted to these profiles along with housing tenure and ethnicity to match the profile of London’s population.
London Councils represents London’s 32 borough councils and the City of London. It is a cross-party organisation that works on behalf of all its member authorities regardless of political persuasion.
