Most important issues facing Britain 2023

In May 2023, 60 percent of British people thought that the economy was one of the top three issues facing the country, compared with 42 percent who thought that health was one of the top three issues. The ongoing Cost of Living Crisis afflicting the UK, driven by rampant inflation is clearly one of the main concerns of Britons going into 2023. Health is also a major issue for people in the UK. The share of people seeing health as a top three issue in January 2023 was the highest it has been since the Omicron wave of COVID-19 the previous winter. Staffing problems, along with increased demand for services have plunged the National Health Service (NHS) into a deep crisis, possibly the worst since its creation in the 1940s. Due to these ongoing problems, it is likely that the economy and health will remain the main issues for Britons throughout early 2023.

Top issues between 2020 and 2022

In April 2020, almost three quarters of people surveyed advised that health was one of the most important issues facing the country. It was during this month that the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic was at it's height, with almost 12 thousand excess deaths a week occurring in two weeks in the middle of April. As the health crisis gradually improved, the economic impact of Coronavirus quickly became the more pressing issue,and was seen as the main issue by respondents to this survey in September 2020. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February 2022, the third biggest issue that March was that of defense, which surged from being one of the least important issues in February to being a main concern of a third of Britons.

Brexit gradually fades from view

At the height of concern over Brexit in September 2019, around 71 percent of British adults thought it was one of the main issues facing the country. While it remained an important issue, it is clear that following the UK's official exit from the European Union on January 31, 2020, that it receded to the background, especially after the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic. Towards the end of 2020 however, the issue started to grow in importance, due to the difficult trade negotiations between the UK and the EU, which almost broke down at the last minute.

Which of the following do you think are the most important issues facing the country at this time? (June 2019 to May 2023)

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

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Release date

May 2023

More information

Region

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

Survey time period

June 2019 to May 2023

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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