More Choice But Not More Tax
The British public believes choice is important but is unwilling to see taxes rise to pay for more choice, according to new research from MORI. The survey — for the Audit Commission — looks across a range of public services to see if people are willing to pay more tax in order for service users to have more choice. Among the findings are:
The British public believes choice is important but is unwilling to see taxes rise to pay for more choice, according to new research from MORI. The survey -- for the Audit Commission -- looks across a range of public services to see if people are willing to pay more tax in order for service users to have more choice. Among the findings are:
- 43% agree it is 'absolutely essential' to have choice in schools for special needs children, but only 36% hold that taxpayers should have to pay for this;
- the least privileged people (social classes D and E) are most in favour of choice; and
- more people from the North and Midlands rate choice as 'absolutely essential' than from the South of England.
Technical details
MORI interviewed a representative sample of 1063 British adults aged 15+ between July 22 and 27 2004. In addition, MORI conducted two focus groups with the general public in Leicester in August. The findings of the Audit Commission's full-scale report on the issue are due to be published next year.
The report is available at www.audit-commission.gov.uk
Topline Results
- 1,063 respondents aged 15+ across Great Britain
- Interviews carried out face-to-face
- Fieldwork conducted between 22-27 July 2004
- Results based on all (1,063), unless otherwise stated
- Results are weighted to the known population profile
- An asterisk (*) denotes a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
- Where figures do not add up to 100, this is due to multiple coding or computer rounding
Q1a-h Regardless of whether or not you currently use the following services, how important, if at all, do you think it is to have choice in the following? Please use a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is 'not at all important' and 10 is 'absolutely essential'.
| 160 | Not at all important | Absolutely essential | Don't know | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 160 |
| 160 | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % |
| a) Giving council tenants the choice over who manages the housing service | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 6 |
| b) Giving council tenants more choice over which property they live in | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 4 |
| c) Giving parents the choice over which school they send their child/ren to | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 3 |
| d) Giving parents and pupils more choice over which subjects children study at GCSE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 14 | 27 | 4 |
| e) Giving parents of children with special needs the choice over which special school their child goes to | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 18 | 43 | 3 |
| f) Giving elderly people who live at home more choice and flexibility in the type and timing of the support they receive from Social Services | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 17 | 19 | 42 | 3 |
| g) Giving residents more choice over how to contact their council, for example by internet access, telephone, personal visit, or one-stop-shop | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 18 | 11 | 27 | 2 |
| h) Giving residents more choice over how to pay their council tax, for example payment in cash, standing order, direct debit, paying annually or monthly | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 31 | 3 |
Q2a-h Now thinking about the same list, please tell me whether, in principle, you think taxpayers should or should not have to pay more in order for service users to have more choice in each of the following? You can just read out the letter that applies.
| 160 | Taxpayers definitely should have to pay more | Taxpayers probably should have to pay more | Taxpayers probably should not have to pay more | Taxpayers definitely should not have to pay more | No opinion / Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | % | % | % | % | % |
| a) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give council tenants more choice over who manages the housing service | 3 | 11 | 30 | 49 | 7 |
| b) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give council tenants more choice over which property they live in | 4 | 13 | 28 | 49 | 6 |
| c) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give parents more choice over which school they send their child/ren to | 4 | 19 | 29 | 41 | 7 |
| d) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give parents and pupils more choice over which subjects children study at GCSE | 4 | 18 | 29 | 43 | 6 |
| e) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give parents of children with special needs more choice over which special school their child goes to | 8 | 28 | 26 | 32 | 6 |
| f) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more in order that elderly people who live at home can have more choice over the type and timing of the support they receive from Social Services | 11 | 32 | 23 | 28 | 6 |
| g) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give residents more choice over how to contact their council, for example by internet access, telephone, personal visit, or one-stop-shop | 4 | 11 | 29 | 50 | 6 |
| h) Whether or not taxpayers should have to pay more to give residents more choice over how to pay their council tax, for example payment in cash, by standing order, direct debit, paying annually or monthly | 3 | 12 | 29 | 50 | 6 |
