Immigration seen as the biggest issue facing Britain, as public concern rises

• Forty-one per cent name immigration as an important issue for Britain, up nine points since last month’s fall to return to its position earlier in the year
• Economy is in second place as economic optimism recovers slightly from last month’s record low, but pessimism remains historically high with 73% expecting the economy to get worse
• Concern about defence and foreign affairs has fallen by ten points 

The May 2026 Ipsos Issues Index reveals an increase in public concern about immigration, returning to levels seen earlier in the year. Forty-one percent mention it as an important issue for the country, up nine points since April. It also remains the single most important issue facing the country, mentioned by 22%. 
Concern about immigration continues to be highest among Reform UK supporters (83%), those aged 55+ (52%) and people in social grades C2DE (47%).

Concern about the economy remains significant, with thirty-four percent mentioning it as an issue, making it the second-biggest issue for the country. The level of concern is relatively unchanged since last month.

The proportion mentioning inflation as a big issue has fallen by five points since April. However, it remains the third-biggest issue for Britons, mentioned by 25%

The NHS is the fourth-biggest issue this month, mentioned by 22%. Concern remains relatively unchanged since last month.

Concern about defence and foreign affairs has dropped by ten points since April. However, it is still a top-five concern for Britons, mentioned by 15%.

Economic Optimism Index

Ipsos’ Economic Optimism Index asks Britons whether they think the general economic condition of the country will improve, stay the same, or get worse over the next twelve months, and has been tracking the economic mood of Britons since 1978.  

The May results show that 9% think the economy will improve and 73% get worse, giving a net Ipsos Economic Optimism Index figure of -64. This is an increase from the historic low of -72 recorded last month, however is still well below the long-term average of -18.

The net figure of -64 is as bad as levels seen during some of the most challenging economic periods in recent history, including the January 1980 recession under Margaret Thatcher (-64), the global financial crisis of July 2008 under Gordon Brown (-64), and the cost-of-living crisis following the invasion of Ukraine in the final days of Boris Johnson’s premiership in June 2022 (-64).

The level of net economic optimism this month (twenty-two months into Keir Starmer’s premiership) remains the lowest on record for a Prime Minister at this stage.

Of the findings, Gideon Skinner, Senior Director of UK Politics at Ipsos said:

Britons’ core concerns over immigration, the economy, inflation and the NHS continue, with immigration regaining its prime position in their top-of-mind list of worries this month.  At the same time despite foreign affairs slipping slightly down the agenda with economic optimism not quite as bad as its historic low last month, Britons remain very gloomy about the economy.

With attention focused on the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, views of people in the North West of England broadly reflect the national pattern. Over the year so far immigration is seen as the biggest issue facing the country, closely followed by the economy, with inflation, defence/foreign affairs and the NHS other key concerns (while the EU/Brexit is low on the list), amid high levels of pessimism over the country’s prospects for growth.  The contest will be a key test for all the parties to show whether they can convince voters that they are able to deliver improvements on the issues that most concern them.

• Notes
  Ipsos' Issues Index is the longest-running gauge of British public concerns. It is conducted monthly and has provided an overview of the key issues concerning the country for over 50 years. The answers are spontaneous responses, and participants are not prompted.
• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,003 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. Ipsos’ telephone omnibus was used for this survey. Interviews were conducted between 6 – 12th May 2026. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.