Sat, 17 Jan 2026

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 The one measure that can tell us a lot about the state of the UK economy

Consumer confidence levels are rebounding for some in the UK, but older generations look to be immune, writes Faisal Islam.
For decades, consumer confidence surveys have tracked the nation's mood on the economy, asking questions like how likely people are to buy major items and whether they feel financially secure. The net result is calculated by subtracting pessimism from optimism scores. A chart showing the breakdown of consumer confidence by age group over the past decade reveals a striking divergence in late 2024. While under-50s' confidence continued to rise, especially among under-30s, who reached highs not seen since Brexit, the over-50s and pensioners saw their confidence collapse towards levels seen during the Liz Truss mini-budget. This split coincides with the 2024 general election, leading experts to suggest that how people voted has influenced their perception of economic prospects. Younger people, who largely supported the new government, are more positive about the economy's future, while older voters, who predominantly backed the previous administration, are less confident.
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