More than half of young people and renters in Britain are worried about the cost of Christmas, a new poll revealed on Tuesday.
The Ipsos survey for The Standard found that 44 per cent of adults in the country have this view amid the cost-of-living crisis, up from 31 per cent in 2020, given the price of presents, and food inflation making Christmas dinner more expensive.
The figure is even higher for young people, aged 18 to 34, at 58 per cent, for renters, also 58 per cent, people from ethnic minorities 57 per cent, and working class households, 50 per cent.
More women, 49 per cent, are worried than men, 38 per cent.
Seven out of ten Britons are still looking forward to Christmas, the same figure as in 2020 but fewer than in 2014 and 2000, both 81 per cent.
Twenty-eight per cent feel stressed about the festive preparations, up from 21 per cent three years ago, especially renters, 46 per cent, young people 39 per cent, working class households 35 per cent, and women 33 per cent.
Just over half, 52 per cent, of all adults say they are not stressed at all about Christmas, with a further 20 per cent ‘not very stressed’.
Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos UK, said: “The rate of inflation may be falling, but Britons are still feeling its impact. Most people are still pessimistic about the cost of living over the next few years, and even Christmas does not escape.”
Two thirds of adults expect the cost-of-living crisis to get worse over the next few years, including 76 per cent of 18-34s and 78 per cent of renters, while only 13 per cent think it’s going to get better.
Fifty-five percent expect the general economic conditions of the country to get worse over the next year, 19 that they will improve, giving a net score of -36, very similar to last month.
The UK’s retailers saw their sales levels unexpectedly drop last month, pushing them to the lowest since February 2021 when there were still Covid-19 restrictions in place, official data suggested last week, raising worries that Britain could be heading towards recession, with economic growth currently stalled.
The Office for National Statistics said that retail sales volumes dipped 0.3 per cent in October. The statisticians also revised September’s fall from 0.9 per cent to 1.1 per cent.
* Ipsos interview 1,001 adults in Britain by phone between November 1 and 8. Data are weighted. More information at www.ipsos.com/en-uk
