Bank of England/GfK NOP Inflation Attitudes Survey - May 2013

This quarterly survey, conducted by GfK NOP on our behalf, assesses public attitudes to inflation, opinions about the Bank and awareness of our work.
Published on 07 June 2013

This news release describes the results of the Bank of England’s latest quarterly survey of public attitudes to inflation, undertaken in May 2013.

GfK NOP interviewed a quota sample of 1964 people aged 16 and over in 175 randomly selected output areas throughout the United Kingdom between 9 and 14 May 2013. The raw data were weighted to match the demographic profile of the UK as a whole. 

Highlights from the survey

  • Question 1: Asked to give the current rate of inflation, respondents gave a median answer of 4.5%, compared with 4.4% in February.
  • Question 2a: Median expectations of the rate of inflation over the coming year were 3.6%, the same as in February.
  • Question 2b: Asked about expected inflation in the twelve months after that, respondents gave a median answer of 3.3%, compared with 3.4% in February.
  • Question 2c: Asked about expectations of inflation in the longer term, say in five years time, respondents gave a median answer of 3.6%, the same as in February.
  • Question 3: By a margin of 68% to 6%, survey respondents believed that the economy would end up weaker rather than stronger if prices started to rise faster, compared with 71% to 5% in February.
  • Question 4: 48% of respondents thought the inflation target was ‘about right’, compared with 43% in February, while the proportions saying the target was ‘too high’ or ‘too low’ were 22% and 15% respectively.
  • Question 5: 20% of respondents thought that interest rates had fallen over the past 12 months, compared with 14% in February, while 23% of respondents said that interest rates had risen over the past 12 months, compared with 29% in February.
  • Question 6: When asked about the future path of interest rates, 34% of respondents expected rates to rise over the next 12 months, compared with 36% in February. 5% of respondents expected interest rates to fall over the next 12 months, compared with 6% in February.
  • Question 7: Asked what would be ‘best for the economy’ – higher interest rates, lower rates or no change – 16% thought rates should ‘go up’, compared with 15% in February. 20% of respondents thought that interest rates should ‘go down’, compared with 22% in February. 35% thought interest rates should ‘stay where they are’, compared to 37% in February.
  • Question 8: When asked what would be ‘best for you personally’, 22% of respondents said interest rates should ‘go up’, compared with 20% in February. 27% of respondents said it would be better for them if interest rates were to ‘go down’, compared with 29% in February.
  • Questions 9-13: These questions are asked only once a year, in February.*
  • Question 14: Respondents were asked to assess the way the Bank of England is ‘doing its job to set interest rates to control inflation’. The net satisfaction balance – the proportion satisfied minus the proportion dissatisfied – was +17%, the same as in February.

* Although the main survey is conducted quarterly, the February survey each year includes five extra questions, the answers to which have been shown to change slowly over time, and is double the sample size of the other surveys.

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