Two thirds support National Insurance cut despite half saying government’s economic plan not working

Two thirds (67%) of UK adults support the National Insurance rate cut from 12% to 10% announced in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement, with just one in eight (12%) opposing it, according to a snap reactions poll from Savanta.

The poll, conducted entirely in the wake of the Chancellor’s statement to the House of Commons, finds a majority (58%) broadly support the package of policies announced by the Chancellor today, including almost three-quarters (72%) of those that voted Conservative in 2019.

However, despite the popular package announced, almost half (49%) of all UK adults disagree with the Chancellor’s assertion that the government’s economic plan for the country is working, including a third (35%) of 2019 Conservative voters.

And at the top of the survey, before details of Wednesday’s announcements were revealed to respondents, two in five (41%) say they trust Labour with the economy, compared to the three in ten (29%) who say they trust the Conservatives more.

Specifics

Every specific policy announced on Wednesday garnered net support in Savanta’s snap reactions poll, with the raising of the minimum wage (+75) generating the greatest net support, followed by increasing pensions by 8.5% thus honouring the triple lock (+71) and the headline announcement on national insurance (+55).

The policies with the lowest net support were the making of ‘full expensing’ permanent for businesses (+35) and freezing alcohol duty (+33).

Benefits who?

However, a popular package of policies does not make a popular government. Two thirds (65%) of the public say that the Autumn Statement will not be enough to help them with the rising cost of living, including a majority (57%) of Conservative voters.

And the policies announced today are significantly more likely to be seen to benefit pensioners (73%) and business owners (70%) than middle-income families (49%).

A third (35%) say that a Labour Autumn Statement would have seen better policies announced, while a quarter apiece say it would have made no difference (26%) or been worse (24%).

Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta said, “As always with these large fiscal events, the public are broadly supportive of the measures announced, but the true test is whether these measures can help the Conservatives regain some economic credibility over the opposition.”

“A lack of a consistent message from the Conservatives – notably on National Insurance, the headline policy here – over successive fiscal events and through successive Chancellors as eroded Tory economic credibility, to the point that Labour lead on economic trust in this poll, and a plurality of voters say a Labour Autumn Statement would have been better.

“Only time will tell over whether the Conservatives can claw some of that back, but until voters feel an economic recovery in their pockets and – crucially – credit the Conservatives as being the reason why, they face an uphill battle to regain a lead in a policy area they have tradionally always dominated.”