Understanding Society - December 2011
Welcome to the latest edition of the Ipsos Social Research Institute’s Understanding Society.
It’s been an action-packed year, with riots, public protest, strikes, national scandals, and, most notably, economic turmoil. In this issue of Understanding Society we round up how public opinion has been affected by the major events of an extraordinary year, and what it means for politicians, policy makers and public services in the future.
We are very pleased to have an article from Matthew Hancock MP, member of the Public Accounts Committee and former chief of staff to George Osborne, who concisely lays down the challenge facing public services: how to do more for less?
The rest of this report includes analysis of:
- the Open Public Services white paper published in July this year and the challenges for the public sector in 2012;
- the different values and aspirations of young people in Britain;
- public opinion on the Occupy movement in the US;
- the government’s reforms to the benefit system and whether they will meet public expectations; and
- how environmental concerns are changing in response to the economic crisis.
At the Ipsos Social Research Institute, we are committed to sharing the key messages from our research, in the belief that a better understanding of public opinion will lead to better policy and outcomes. We hope you enjoy this report and if you would like to discuss any of the issues it raises, then please get in touch.
