UK voters prioritize tax cuts and energy relief ahead of Budget

New polling indicates a significant shift in voter priorities ahead of the upcoming Budget. Research from More in Common shows that 49 percent of voters now favor cutting taxes over investing in public services, a reversal from September 2024 when 54 percent prioritized public service investment.

Among those seeking tax reductions, council tax is the most requested cut at 31 percent, followed by raising the tax-free personal allowance (28 percent) and reducing fuel duty (24 percent). This shift is particularly notable among the ‘squeezed middle’—voters managing cost-of-living pressures—who previously favored public service spending.

Separately, a Survation poll conducted for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition found that 23 percent of respondents view lowering energy bills as the Chancellor’s top priority. This preference outranked increasing NHS funding (19 percent) and keeping taxes down (15 percent). Two-thirds of adults surveyed expressed concern regarding potential energy price rises in the new year, and nearly 60 percent feel the Government is not doing enough to assist struggling households.