Londoners say housing is now the number one issue facing the capital

Housing is now the number one ‘top of mind’ issue for Londoners, a poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of London Councils has found.

Over half of Londoners (54%) in our latest poll spontaneously mention housing as among the most important issues facing the capital, an increase of 17 percentage points since 2013 and overtaking transport (which was then 47%) and the economy (39%) as the most-cited issue.

The importance of housing to Londoners is in dramatic contrast the rest of the country. Ipsos’s latest monthly Issues Index shows housing as only the fifth most important issue, behind immigration, the NHS, the economy, and unemployment.

The poll also finds that Londoners overwhelmingly believe that there is currently a housing crisis in the capital. Almost nine in 10 (88%) agree that there is currently a housing crisis in London, a rise of six percentage points since 2013 (82%).

Rising housing costs appear to be having a personal impact on many Londoners, 54% of whom say housing costs cause them a fair amount or a great deal of stress these days.

• Download the computer tables (PDF)

Technical Note

Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ across London. Interviews were conducted by telephone between 27th August and 7th September 2015 inclusive. Data are weighted by age, gender, work status, ethnicity, tenure and those in inner and outer London to match the known profile of the population.

Where comparable, results from a survey of 1,000 Londoners aged 18+ in 2013 are included for reference (interviews conducted by telephone between 18 and 29 October 2013).

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.