The Politics of Everyday Pain: What the Public Is Really Prioritising One Year Into Labour’s Term

Just over a year into office, Keir Starmer’s Labour government finds itself facing an electorate not fuelled by ideology, not gripped by global affairs but preoccupied with the slow erosion of everyday life. According to new data, the public is more anxious than inspired, more fatigued than hopeful. Cost of living and inflation dominate the national agenda but frustrations stretch across housing, the NHS, immigration, welfare support and policing. In short, voters don’t just want leadership but proof that their lives are getting easier.

Cost of Living: The Crisis You Cant Ignore

At the heart of this political moment is the cost of living. In the latest polling, 42% of voters ranked inflation and the rising cost of essentials as the most important issue facing the country today. For context, the next most important issue, Immigration and Asylum, was named by 23%. Inflation dominates across demographics but particularly among younger and working-age voters. Among 25–34-year-olds, 50% say it’s their top concern, while for 45–54-year-olds that figure is also 50%. Even among older voters, typically more financially stable, the issue remains prominent (35% of 55+ year olds).

When asked more broadly whether inflation remains the most important political issue above all others, 32% say yes. Another 33% rank it second and 16% third. That means over 80% of voters place it in their top three concerns. These figures reflect a country still in economic distress, which won’t be helped by the recent inflation rise to 3.8%. [\[1\]](/research/the-politics-of-everyday-pain-what-the-public-is-really-prioritising-one-year-into-labours-term)

Despite Labour’s repeated messaging that inflation is falling and wages are growing, the polling reveals a public that feels little better off. Energy bills remain high, food prices are still elevated and real disposable income has not kept pace with rising costs. The government’s central economic promise, to make working people better off, is not yet being felt at the supermarket checkout or in household budgets and voters are noticing.

Immigration: A Defining and Divisive National Priority

Immigration and asylum now rank as the second most important issue facing the public, cited by 23% of respondents, behind cost of living and inflation and above healthcare and the NHS. For a policy area that often acts as a proxy for wider social, economic and cultural concerns, this ranking underscores the intensity of voter focus.

The demographic splits are striking. 40% of those aged 55–64 and 30% of those 65 and older rank immigration as their top concern. Among Reform UK supporters, the number rises to 49%. In contrast, just 12% of 25–34-year-olds and 14% of 18–24-year-olds say the same. This wide generational divide reflects a continued fault line in British politics: younger, more urban voters tend to prioritise housing, healthcare and climate change, while older voters place greater weight on immigration and national identity.

Trust in the Labour government on this issue is weak. Just 8% of voters say they “strongly trust” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to handle immigration and asylum. Another 23% say they “somewhat trust” her but a full 58% express some level of distrust including 38% who say they “strongly distrust” her. This leaves Labour in a precarious position: not only is immigration rising up the list of public concerns, but the party is also perceived as poorly equipped to address it.

Public opinion on specific incidents reinforces this broader dissatisfaction. Only 36% of voters approve of Labour’s handling of anti-immigration protests, while 50% disapprove. Among older voters and those on the political right, dissatisfaction is even more acute. Labour’s attempt to strike a balance between humanitarian responsibility and border control may be registering as incoherent or ineffective.

The government has introduced a Border Security Command and legislation to treat people smuggling as a form of terrorism. However, with small boat crossings on the rise and asylum hotel use still growing, voters may not see these efforts as successful. Unless results become more visible and impactful, Labour risks further erosion among voters for whom immigration is now a top-tier concern.

Healthcare: Still a Priority

Healthcare and the NHS rank just behind immigration, with 17% of voters naming them as their top concern. That figure rises to 28% among Labour voters and remains especially high among women and younger groups. The NHS continues to be central to Labour’s political identity but it also presents a significant challenge. The party’s reputation as the defender of the health service comes with high expectations.

While the government claims to have delivered two million additional NHS appointments in its first year, public satisfaction has yet to follow. Hospital waiting lists remain above seven million and fewer than 60% of patients are treated within the NHS’s 18-week target, a figure that has barely shifted since Labour took office. [\[2\]](/research/the-politics-of-everyday-pain-what-the-public-is-really-prioritising-one-year-into-labours-term)

There is some cautious optimism. Earlier polling showed that Health Secretary Wes Streeting had the highest net approval of any Cabinet member. His frank admission that the NHS is broken and his 10-year recovery plan may be winning some support. But with winter looming and strike ballots from medical staff returning, any goodwill may be short-lived if services do not improve.

Housing: A Top Issue for the Young and a National Weak Spot

Nationally, just 5% of voters name housing and rent as their number one issue, placing it behind inflation, immigration and healthcare. But among younger age groups, housing jumps in salience. 9% of 25–34-year-olds and 8% of 18–24-year-olds rank it as their top concern. In contrast, only 3% of voters aged 65 and over say the same with them more likely to own their own house.

This demographic tilt aligns with deeper dissatisfaction. A striking 71% of voters believe that rising rents are one of the government’s biggest domestic policy failures. That figure includes 79% of those in the 25–34 age bracket, 78% of Labour supporters and a staggering 81% of those who live in London.

So far, Labour’s plans to reform planning, accelerate housebuilding, and support renters have not translated into perceptible results. With youth turnout historically volatile, and younger voters increasingly open to alternatives like the Greens and Reform UK, housing remains a high-risk area.

Welfare Reform and Fuel Payments: A Risky Wager

Labour’s attempt to restrict Winter Fuel Payments and reform welfare support was intended as a signal of fiscal competency but which ended up causing significant distress amongst the public. Only 15% of voters say they “strongly support” the changes, while 39% oppose them to some degree. Unsurprisingly, support is stronger among the younger generation than the older generation as 51% of 18–24-year-olds show support compared to 35% of 35–44-year-olds.

The backlash prompted a partial U-turn, with the government restoring payments for most pensioners. But the broader welfare agenda, once aimed at saving nearly £5bn has since been watered down. Whether this satisfies public concern is unclear but the episode has likely contributed to a perception that Labour is uncertain in its priorities and willing to back down to public pressure.

Crime and Protest: Low Priority but Signals of Discontent

Only 4% of voters name crime and policing as their number one issue, placing it far below other concerns. However, local perceptions of decline are more widespread. 45% of respondents say crime in their area is getting worse, while just 13% believe it is improving.

Attitudes toward protest further reflect ideological division. When asked whether they support banning the activist group Palestine Action, 46% of voters said yes, while 34% said no. Older and more conservative voters are more likely to support a ban; younger and more progressive voters are more likely to oppose one.

These concerns may not yet define voting intentions, but they do speak to a broader discontent. When asked whether Labour is losing touch with everyday issues, 73% of voters said yes, including 39% who “strongly agree”. Even among Labour’s own supporters, 50% share that concern.

After a year in office, the polling makes clear that Labour is being judged not on its vision but on the realities of daily life. The cost of living continues to dominate, with over four in five voters ranking inflation among their top three concerns. Immigration now sits second, reflecting sharp divides between older voters, for whom it is a defining issue and younger voters, who prioritise housing and healthcare. The NHS remains central to public expectations but waiting lists and access problems have left many unconvinced that progress is being made.

In total, 73% of voters now believe Labour is losing touch with everyday concerns, a judgement that extends well beyond traditional opposition voters. The message from the polling is consistent. Voters do not want new slogans or reassurances but proof that their rent is affordable, that bills are manageable, that NHS appointments are available and that support systems are working. Unless Labour can demonstrate tangible progress in these areas soon, it risks losing (if not already lost) the fragile confidence it carried into government. The next phase will be defined not by rhetoric but by whether people feel their lives are becoming more liveable under Labour’s watch.

* * *

[\[1\]](/research/the-politics-of-everyday-pain-what-the-public-is-really-prioritising-one-year-into-labours-term) BBC News

[\[2\]](/research/the-politics-of-everyday-pain-what-the-public-is-really-prioritising-one-year-into-labours-term) BBC News

Download the data tables for this poll.