Survey Results Revealed for Specially Commissioned Channel 4 poll for Live: Divided Britain: The Lockdown Debate

18 October 2020

Channel 4, Sunday, 18th October at 18.00

 

A poll, specially commissioned by Channel 4 and ITN Productions from Savanta ComRes has provided the most comprehensive view so far of the response to the pandemic.

The results form part of Channel 4’s Live: Divided Britain: The Lockdown Debate which transmits tonight (Sunday, 18th October at 18.00). Chaired by Channel 4 News’ Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the hour-long programme is the first live dedicated debate on the Covid-19 pandemic, and will see politicians, business owners, doctors and scientists discuss the critical issues facing the UK.

 

The poll, conducted by Savanta ComRes reveals:

• 61% of people across the UK said they would support a full so-called circuit break lockdown to slow the spread of the virus and 60% of people in England support a circuit break in England. Perhaps surprisingly, people in the South West were most in favour of a circuit break (68%).  The data also points to Northern Ireland 70% and Wales 67% being similarly supportive. 

• Nearly half (48%) said they believed the restrictions are too relaxed.
• Close to a quarter of people said they were likely to break the current COVID-19 restrictions in their local area.  
• 60% felt that health risks for themselves and family members were their biggest concern, ahead of the 30% that felt financial risks were their biggest concern.
• 46% believe that financial support should be increased to help save jobs and businesses.
• When asked about the government’s performance review 48% said they thought they were handling it badly.

Savanta ComRes interviewed 2,343 UK adults aged 18+ online between 14th and 15th October 2020. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of UK adults 18+ by age, gender, region, and other socio-economic characteristics including social grade. Savanta ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

 

 

For full results and breakdown: 

Q. To what extent do you believe that the current national set of COVID-19 restrictions are too severe, or too relaxed?

Sum: Too severe	21%
Sum: Too relaxed	48%
Much too severe	8%
A bit too severe	13%
About right	27%
A bit too relaxed	29%
Much too relaxed	19%
Don't know	4%

Base: All respondents (n=2,343).

 

• Across age and gender divides, the UK is unanimously more likely to feel that the rules are too relaxed, than too severe. However, women are more likely than men to believe the rules are too severe (24% vs. 18%), as are young adults aged 18-34 (29%) than those aged 35-54 (22%) or 55+ (14%).
• Northern Irish (51%), Welsh (48%) and English (49%) adults are significantly more likely to believe the rules are too relaxed than Scots (39%).

 

Q. In relation to the impact of COVID-19, what is your biggest current concern?

Health risks, for me or a family member	60%
Financial risks (including impact on jobs), for me or a family member	30%
Other	5%
Don't know	5%

Base: All respondents (n=2,343).

 

• Three quarters (74%) of adults aged 55+ are most concerned about their health, in comparison to less than half (47%) of adults aged 18-34.
• In contrast, adults aged 18-34 are twice as likely than adults aged 55+ to be most concerned about their financial risks (39% vs. 18%).

 

Q. Speaking truthfully, to what extent are you likely or unlikely to break the current COVID-19 restrictions in your local area?

Sum: Likely	24%
Sum: Unlikely	61%
Very likely	8%
Quite likely	15%
Neither likely nor unlikely	14%
Not very likely	23%
Not at all likely	38%
Don't know	1%

Base: All respondents (n=2,343).

 

• Overall, women are more likely than men to say they are likely to break the rules (27% vs. 20%), and conversely men are more unlikely (66% vs. 56%).
• Over two in five adults aged 18-34 (42%) are likely to break the rules, in comparison to just one in twelve adults aged 55+ (8%).
• A third (30%) of Scots are likely to break the rules, in comparison to just a quarter (23%) of English adults.

 

Q. To what extent do you believe that the level of financial support available for jobs and businesses impacted by COVID-19 should be increased or decreased?

Sum: Increased	46%
Sum: Decreased	11%
Greatly increased	15%
Somewhat increased	31%
The same as now	35%
Somewhat decreased	7%
Greatly decreased	4%
Don't know	8%

Base: All respondents (n=2,343).

 

• Over half of Scots (56%) want to see an increase in the level of financial support offered, in comparison to less than half of English adults (45%).
• Just two in five 2019 Conservative voters (38%) want to see this increase, in contrast to three in five Labour voters (60%). 2019 Conservative voters are most likely to say that support should stay the same as now (45%).
• 2016 Remain voters are more likely to desire an increase in financial support offered than 2016 Leave voters (51% vs. 44%).

 

Q. To what extent do you support or oppose a short 'circuit break' of a full UK-wide lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19?

Sum: Support	61%
Sum: Oppose	19%
Strongly support	32%
Somewhat support	28%
Neither support nor oppose	17%
Somewhat oppose	10%
Strongly oppose	9%
Don't know	4%

Base: All respondents (n=2,343).

 

• Support for a ‘circuit break’ lockdown is higher among older adults aged 55+ (66%) than among younger adults aged 18-34 – but still over half of young adults support the proposal (51%).
• Northern Irish adults (70%) are significantly more likely to support a UK-wide ‘circuit break’ lockdown than Scottish (58%) or English (60%) adults.
• 2019 Labour (70%) and 2016 Remain (68%) voters are significantly more likely than their Conservative (59%) and Leave (61%) counterparts to support a UK-wide ‘circuit break’ lockdown – but there is clear majority in favour across all groups.

 

Q. To what extent do you support or oppose a short 'circuit break' of a full lockdown in England, to slow the spread of COVID-19??

Sum: Support	60%
Sum: Oppose	20%
Strongly support	33%
Somewhat support	28%
Neither support nor oppose	16%
Somewhat oppose	11%
Strongly oppose	9%
Don't know	4%

Base: All English respondents (n=1,810).

 

• Support for a lockdown in England is as popular among English adults as a UK-wide lockdown is among UK adults overall.

 

Q. To what extent do you think that the UK government is handling the COVID-19 response well or badly?

Sum: Well	27%
Sum: Badly	48%
Very well	6%
Quite well	21%
Neither well nor badly	24%
Quite badly	24%
Very badly	24%
Don't know	1%

Base: All respondents (n=2,343).

 

• Scottish adults (62%) are significantly more likely than Northern Irish (50%) Welsh (46%) or English (47%) adults to feel the government is handling the COVID-19 response badly.
• Over two in five 2019 Conservative voters (44%) feel the government is handling the COVID-19 response well, in comparison to just three in ten (29%) who feel they are badly. In contrast, a heavy majority of 2019 Labour voters feel they are handling it badly (69%).
• A plurality of 2016 Leave voters feel the government is handling the COVID-19 response badly, as opposed to well (39% vs. 34%).

 

 

Live: Divided Britain: The Lockdown Debate airs on Channel 4 tonight, 6pm.

 

For more information contact: Steve Rosier at Channel 4 Press Office, SRosier@Channel4.co.uk / 07702 285276

 

Full data tables available on 00.01 18th October

https://comresglobal.com/polls/itn-the-lockdown-debate-october-2010/

 

Savanta contact: chris.hopkins@savanta.com  +44 (0)7971 003 726

 

 

Notes to Editors:

 

Audience Safety Measures: We are ensuring that the audience is adhering to social distancing rules and hygiene measures.

 

 

 

 

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