Community: Polls & Surveys

Fear and hoping in the UK

In summer 2008 we probed into your hopes and fears for the future. You revealed your attitudes towards various aspects of life in the UK, including education, housing and crime.


The basics

  • 1,033 people participated in the survey;
  • Every participant was aged between 16-24 and each age was fairly evenly represented.

Family matters

Only 3% of you are married or in a civil partnership, and 6% are engaged. Of the rest, two-thirds (67%) would like to get hitched and 12% would rather not. 8% have children, and 89% of those who don't say they'd like to in future. The average age mentioned as being ideal to start having kids is 28.

Crime

More than six in 10 (62%) are concerned about becoming victims of crime and over half (56%) have actually been victims of some form of crime. One in five (21%) have been subject to pick-pocketing or mugging, while 14% have been burgled, 13% have experienced car crime and one in 10 (9%) have been victims of violent crime. Despite 42% of you agreeing that the media over-hypes the problems of 'gang warfare' in the UK, most (69%) think that youth-on-youth violence is 'out of control' and 79% believe there should be tighter controls on weapons.

Careers and education

Almost all (96%) school-goers agree with the statement 'the choices I make now will affect the rest of my life', but less than half (48%) know what they want to do. While 85% plan to go to university, 45% feel they need better careers advice to set them on the right path. Achieving the necessary grades to get into uni proves to be the biggest challenge, as does dealing with pressures of meeting parents' expectations of academic achievement.

For first-time job hunters, more than half (53%) think it's difficult to know what employers are looking for. Opinions are mixed as to how important having a degree is when it comes to applying for jobs; a third (33%) agree that it's hard to get a job if you haven't been to uni, while almost half (46%) disagree.

Most of you believe there's more to working than just earning money. Almost six in 10 (56%) disagree with the statement 'there's no reason to work if you don't need the money'.

Housing

When it comes to housing, 74% think that owning your home is important although only 30% believe you'll ever be able to buy your own place. 12% have either added your names to the council house waiting list or plan to do so in future. Most (70%) are worried that the current instability of the housing market might affect your future.


Top fears for the future

  • Death of myself or a loved one;
  • Financial insecurity and debt;
  • Underachievement and disappointing myself or others;
  • Crime, violence and terrorism;
  • Being alone or without a significant other.

Health and happiness

The research reveals a mature attitude towards health and lifestyle, with 63% agreeing that you're not too young to worry about your health. An impressive 55% consider your lifestyle to be generally healthy. When asked what your one wish for the future would be, most (20%) say you want to be happy. The majority (60%) currently agree with the statement 'I am happy', although 7% disagree strongly. Over a quarter (27%) have personally experienced mental health problems.


Top hopes for the future

  • Being happy;
  • Financial security;
  • Having a good job with work-life balance;
  • Having children and being a good parent;
  • Being healthy.

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