Economic optimism among renters is shot to pieces, a new poll revealed on Thursday.
The exclusive Ipsos UK survey for The Standard found just 15 per cent of renters expect Britain’s general economic conditions to improve over the next year.
Two thirds believe the economic woes will deepen, and 17 per cent that they will stay the same.
While most of the recent focus has been on homeowners as mortgage rates have soared, as the Bank of England hiked interest rates to try to control inflation, many renters, particularly in London, have also seen their rents jump, some by hundreds of pounds a month, and they are also often less well off.
Economic optimism is not as low among homeowners with a mortgage, with 24 per cent expecting the general economic conditions to improve over the next 12 months, 49 per cent to decline, and 26 per cent stay the same.
For people who already own their home outright, the figures are very similar, 23 per cent expecting an improvement, 49 per cent for things to worsen, and 26 per cent stay the same.
For all adults in Britain, 20 per cent expect the economic conditions to improve, down from 28 per cent in July, 55 per cent get worse, unchanged, and 23 per cent say stay the same, up from 15 per cent.
Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos UK, said: “Delivering improvements to the economy will be key to Rishi Sunak’s hopes of turning around the Conservatives’ fortunes, but after showing some signs of improving over the summer economic optimism among the public has slipped again.
“Although pessimism is not as widespread as this time last year it is still worse than Ipsos’ long-term average over the last 45 years. Optimism is in particularly short supply among women, the under 55s, public sector workers, social classes C2DE and renters.”
