Most important issues facing Britain 2025

The economy was seen by 51 percent of people in the UK as one of the main issues facing the country in January 2025. The ongoing Cost of Living Crisis afflicting the UK, driven by high inflation, is still one of the main concerns of Britons. Health has generally been the second most important issue since early 2022, possibly due to NHS staffing problems, and increasing demand for health services, which have plunged the National Health Service into a deep crisis. From late 2022 onwards, immigration emerged as the third main concern for British people, just ahead of the environment for much of 2023 and as of the most recent month, the second most important issue for voters.

Labour's popularity continues to sink in 2025

Despite winning the 2024 general election with a strong majority, the new Labour government has had its share of struggles since coming to power. Shortly after taking office, the approval rating for Labour stood at -2 percent, but this fell throughout the second half of 2024, and by January 2025 had sunk to a new low of -47 percent. Although this was still higher than the previous government's last approval rating of -56 percent, it is nevertheless a severe review from the electorate. Among several decisions from the government, arguably the least popular was the government withdrawing winter fuel payments. This state benefit, previously paid to all pensioners, is now only paid to those on low incomes, with millions of pensioners not receiving this payment in winter 2024.

Sunak's pledges fail to prevent defeat in 2024

With an election on the horizon, and the Labour Party consistently ahead in the polls, addressing voter concerns directly was one of the best chances the Conservatives had of staying in power in 2023. At the start of that year, Rishi Sunak attempted to do this by setting out his five pledges for the next twelve months; halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce national debt, cut NHS waiting times, and stop small boats. A year later, Sunak had at best only partial success in these aims. Although the inflation rate fell, economic growth was weak and even declined in the last two quarters of 2023, although it did return to growth in early 2024. National debt was only expected to fall in the mid to late 2020s, while the trend of increasing NHS waiting times did not reverse. Small boat crossings were down from 2022, but still higher than in 2021 or 2020.

Which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing the country at this time? (June 2018 to January 2025)

Characteristic	Economy	Brexit	Immigration	Health	Environment	Crime	Education	Housing	Defence
Jan 25	51%	12%	45%	45%	17%	19%	9%	21%	17%
Dec 24	48%	13%	44%	42%	18%	18%	10%	19%	19%
Nov 24	50%	12%	44%	43%	16%	21%	11%	21%	15%
Oct 24	48%	12%	44%	45%	18%	19%	8%	23%	18%
Sep 24	47%	12%	47%	41%	17%	26%	10%	21%	14%
Aug 24	46%	12%	46%	39%	19%	28%	11%	21%	15%
Jul 24	51%	14%	41%	52%	20%	19%	13%	22%	13%
Jun 24	51%	12%	36%	49%	21%	21%	13%	24%	18%
May 24	49%	14%	38%	46%	21%	23%	12%	22%	17%
Apr 24	51%	12%	36%	45%	20%	20%	13%	24%	20%
Mar 24	55%	14%	37%	46%	21%	20%	11%	23%	18%
Feb 24	50%	15%	39%	44%	23%	21%	12%	22%	20%
Jan 24	53%	14%	38%	45%	22%	17%	11%	25%	9%
Dec 23	55%	14%	40%	44%	26%	17%	12%	23%	8%
Nov 23	55%	14%	37%	44%	25%	20%	12%	23%	13%
Oct 23	54%	16%	39%	44%	27%	22%	12%	20%	8%
Sep 23	61%	17%	39%	43%	27%	17%	12%	24%	10%
Aug 23	65%	17%	36%	40%	31%	16%	11%	22%	9%
Jul 23	63%	19%	37%	44%	23%	18%	10%	21%	9%
Jun 23	55%	19%	33%	42%	26%	16%	13%	18%	10%
May 23	60%	18%	33%	45%	23%	17%	12%	18%	11%
Apr 23	59%	18%	37%	42%	21%	18%	12%	19%	11%
Mar 23	59%	22%	30%	45%	23%	16%	13%	17%	13%
Feb 23	64%	20%	27%	49%	24%	15%	11%	15%	13%
Jan 23	62%	17%	32%	50%	23%	16%	11%	17%	9%
Dec 22	65%	20%	33%	44%	26%	15%	9%	16%	10%
Nov 22	68%	19%	37%	39%	26%	12%	8%	16%	10%
Oct 22	73%	16%	21%	38%	25%	11%	8%	18%	10%
Sep 22	71%	18%	24%	37%	29%	16%	9%	17%	9%
Aug 22	69%	17%	23%	38%	32%	11%	8%	16%	12%
Jul 22	69%	22%	22%	38%	23%	14%	10%	18%	15%
Jun 22	65%	18%	25%	36%	26%	13%	8%	18%	12%
May 22	61%	19%	25%	36%	26%	14%	9%	18%	15%
Apr 22	55%	16%	31%	39%	23%	12%	12%	17%	19%
Mar 22	50%	21%	27%	35%	27%	15%	11%	17%	33%
Feb 22	48%	23%	23%	47%	29%	18%	13%	18%	12%
Jan 22	46%	24%	27%	55%	27%	17%	14%	16%	7%
Dec 21	41%	24%	35%	53%	30%	18%	12%	16%	8%
Nov 21	43%	25%	27%	48%	40%	18%	11%	17%	6%
Oct 21	44%	26%	25%	47%	34%	21%	13%	16%	8%
Sep 21	37%	25%	32%	50%	34%	16%	14%	18%	11%
Aug 21	44%	23%	31%	50%	34%	20%	16%	18%	7%
Jul 21	46%	27%	27%	57%	30%	18%	18%	16%	7%
Jun 21	47%	22%	28%	50%	28%	22%	20%	17%	8%
May 21	48%	26%	26%	52%	31%	21%	17%	16%	6%
Apr 21	54%	29%	22%	52%	28%	22%	19%	15%	9%
Mar 21	60%	28%	19%	58%	28%	14%	20%	14%	6%
Feb 21	55%	30%	19%	61%	27%	12%	27%	11%	6%
Jan 21	52%	34%	18%	63%	23%	12%	22%	10%	5%
Dec 20	54%	53%	21%	55%	22%	12%	12%	12%	7%
Nov 20	55%	47%	22%	61%	21%	11%	12%	10%	8%
Oct 20	54%	50%	26%	58%	24%	14%	14%	10%	5%
Sep 20	55%	46%	30%	52%	21%	16%	16%	11%	5%
Aug 20	54%	43%	29%	52%	22%	14%	16%	10%	7%
Jul 20	57%	43%	19%	57%	24%	17%	18%	11%	6%
Jun 20	56%	45%	17%	62%	23%	14%	14%	8%	5%
May 20	57%	31%	16%	66%	23%	14%	14%	11%	6%
Apr 20	50%	27%	13%	74%	22%	13%	9%	11%	8%
Mar 20	26%	43%	23%	54%	33%	23%	11%	17%	11%
Feb 20	27%	46%	23%	41%	30%	28%	12%	16%	13%
Jan 20	26%	60%	21%	46%	31%	21%	12%	14%	15%
Dec 19	25%	62%	22%	53%	26%	25%	12%	13%	9%
Nov 19	27%	64%	23%	42%	28%	23%	12%	14%	8%
Oct 19	26%	69%	23%	35%	29%	24%	13%	16%	10%
Sep 19	25%	71%	24%	31%	29%	30%	13%	14%	9%
Aug 19	26%	69%	22%	32%	27%	30%	11%	14%	13%
Jul 19	24%	66%	26%	32%	27%	32%	15%	15%	8%
Jun 19	26%	67%	24%	34%	26%	28%	13%	16%	10%
May 19	25%	67%	22%	32%	27%	25%	12%	14%	12%
Apr 19	27%	72%	22%	32%	17%	34%	12%	14%	10%
Mar 19	28%	68%	27%	28%	17%	36%	12%	15%	13%
Feb 19	29%	70%	27%	34%	15%	25%	11%	19%	11%
Jan 19	29%	66%	31%	34%	15%	21%	11%	16%	13%
Dec 18	29%	66%	24%	32%	18%	21%	13%	16%	12%
Nov 18	22%	61%	27%	37%	17%	24%	13%	19%	12%
Oct 18	29%	69%	30%	37%	10%	21%	12%	19%	14%
Sep 18	30%	65%	30%	37%	12%	22%	11%	17%	14%
Aug 18	29%	64%	32%	37%	14%	23%	10%	17%	13%
Jul 18	25%	62%	31%	45%	13%	20%	13%	17%	14%
Jun 18	25%	58%	31%	43%	11%	25%	12%	17%	19%

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Release date

January 2025

More information

Region

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

Survey time period

June 2018 to January 2025

Number of respondents

1,611-3,326

Age group

18 years and older

Special properties

British adults

Method of interview

Online survey

Supplementary notes

The following answers, with less than ten percent of respondents selecting them in the most recent survey have not been included.

Tax, Pensions, Family life & childcare, Transport, Welfare benefits, None of these, Don't know

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