Nearly three-quarters of people think government “hasn’t done enough” to help with rising cost of living - TUC local election day snap poll reveals

• Just 2 in 10 think ministers are doing enough to help people with the cost-of-living – with over half of Conservative voters thinking they are not
• Cost of living crisis is top concern for voters, poll shows
• The public have sent “a clear distress call”, warns union body
• TUC renews call for Emergency Budget

Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of those who voted in today’s local elections think the government “has not done enough” to help with the rising cost of living - according to a new poll published by the TUC tonight (Thursday).

The snap poll - carried out by Opinium as voters went to polling stations on local elections day - reveals that just 2 in 10 (20 per cent) think ministers have done enough to help people with rising living costs.

And among Conservative voters more than half (53 per cent) think the government has done too little to reduce living costs – compared to a third (34%) who think ministers have done enough.

Today’s poll of 2,500 adults (fieldwork: 5 May 2022) also reveals that Britain’s cost of living crisis tops the lists of voters’ concerns.

7 in 10 (71 per cent) people say the cost of living is the most important issue facing the country, followed by the NHS and public services.

Emergency Budget

The TUC says the government’s response to soaring bills and prices has thus far been “woefully inadequate”.

The union body is calling on the Chancellor to urgently come back to parliament with an Emergency Budget to help struggling families.

The TUC says ministers should:

• Impose a windfall tax on oil and gas profits to fund energy grants
• Boost the minimum wage, pensions and Universal Credit
• Work with unions and employers to get pay rising across the economy

Commenting on the poll, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Everyone should have enough to pay their bills.

“But years of standstill wages, and cuts to social security, have left millions at the mercy of soaring bills and prices.

“On local elections day today, the public have sent out a clear distress call. They want the government to do more to help families get through this cost of living emergency.

“The Chancellor must come back to parliament with an Emergency Budget, to help with energy bills and raise the minimum wage and Universal Credit.

“The longer ministers delay the more damage will be done.”

Commenting on the poll, Chris Curtis – head of political polling at Opinium – said:

“We are still waiting to see the results come in, but one thing from this election is already clear.

“The issue at the top of voters' minds as they cast their ballots was the cost of living crisis, and hardly anyone thinks the government is doing enough to tackle it."