British attitudes to jobless harden

A MAJORITY of the British now believe unemployed benefits are too high, oppose extra taxes for public spending and are increasingly against higher charges to protect the environment, according to a major survey.

Offering, perhaps, a clear illustration of the impact of the recession, the National Centre for Social Research’s Social Attitudes survey shows a hardening of public opinion far deeper than occurred during the economic troubles during the 1980s.

“Less engaged or willing to make sacrifices for the common good during challenging times, the British public perhaps increasingly sees it as the responsibility of the individual to get through,” said the report’s authors.

A total of 55 per cent of people in England now believe, according to the survey conducted in late 2010, that unemployment benefits are too high, compared to just 35 per cent with that opinion in 1983, when the first annual study was carried out. Nearly two-thirds of the 3,250 who took part believe that parents who “don’t want to work” or who abuse drugs and alcohol or who lack education are the reason why some children live in poverty.

Though a majority believe that child poverty is an important issue, over half believe it will increase over the next decade, while a quarter believe it will stay the same. Prime Minister David Cameron said the survey showed that “a crucial shift in our society” has taken place. “People are making clear that they’ve had enough of the something for nothing culture that grew up over the last decade.

“ don’t believe the state has the all answers to our problems. Instead, they want a society where reward is linked to effort, where people are more responsible for themselves and their families. These are values I have been talking about for years,” he declared. The British are also losing faith in religion, but also in science. Just one-fifth now identify themselves as members of the Church of England, compared with 40 per cent in the 1980s, while nearly 40 per cent believe that scientists have exaggerated the dangers of climate change.

Acknowledging that the public’s views about taxation and government spending fluctuate rapidly, the authors of the report said: “It’s striking that support for ‘tax and spend’ policies has reduced to a level last seen in 1983 in the aftermath of recession and continuing ‘stagflation’ in the economy.”

Referring to Mr Cameron’s hopes of building a Big Society, with more involvement by the public in providing community services, the authors said politicians today have “fewer obvious levers to pull” given the impact of social changes.

“The signs are of a more fragmented society no longer underpinned by old certainties. Our democracy is under pressure with no strong signs of recovery, picking up strongly on the plummeting levels of trust in our big institutions we reported last year.”