The 52 per cent: Most households worried about Brexit hit to finances
More than half of working-age households are worried about how the EU referendum result will affect their personal finances, new research has found.
The quarterly disposable income index, published by Scottish Friendly and think tank the Social Market Foundation, showed that while households had more spare cash than three months ago, they are also concerned prices will rise and their situation could deteriorate following the shock Brexit vote.
A total of 52 per cent of people between the ages of 25 and 54 reported being "worried about how leaving the EU will affect their financial wellbeing", an increase from the 48 per cent who were concerned before the vote.
Who trusts opinion polls?
| EU referendum: Voted "Leave" | 51.9 per cent |
| EU referendum: Voted "Remain" | 48.1 per cent |
| Scottish Friendly: Concerned about finances before referendum | 48.1 per cent |
| Scottish Friendly: Concerned about finances after referendum | 51.9 per cent |
In remarkably prescient opinion polling, before the referendum 48.1 per cent of people told Scottish Friendly they were concerned about whether a vote to leave would hit their personal finances. Even more curiously, that number has now jumped to 51.9 per cent – the same proportion who did vote for Brexit in June's referendum
Younger people, those most likely to have voted to stay in the EU in the June ballot, were considerably more likely to be concerned about the future, with 54 per cent saying they were worried about a hit to jobs, compared to just 27 per cent of the wider population.
Scottish Friendly said: "With growth expected to slow in the wake of the EU referendum result and the dramatic fall in the value of sterling, many still cite concerns about their financial wellbeing, despite unemployment levels remaining relatively low."
Despite worries about the future, the index of average disposable incomes grew over the last three months, rising by 2.4 per cent to £1,024.