With less than a month to go before the General Election, a Gransnet poll of over 1,000 users reveals that – contrary to the traditional perception that older voters’ loyalty is entrenched – half (46%) say they could still change their mind about how to vote.
There is a roughly even split among those whose minds are already made up, with 34% intending to vote for the Conservatives and 33% for Labour.
When asked which issues they cared about, health was clearly the most popular response, cited by 76% of respondents. Other priorities were immigration (37%) and education (34%).
Other key statistics include:
- 60% think that government isn’t doing enough for older voters, but a bigger number (64%) think that government isn’t doing enough for younger voters;
- there is strong support for a mansion tax (69% in favour);
- 77% say it’s ‘crucial’ that the NHS remains free at the point of delivery;
- 47% support a change to the electoral system away from first-past-the-post; and
- 68% agree grandparents should to be able to register as official childcare providers for parental childcare benefits purposes.
Gigi Eligoloff editor Gransnet
Four out of five (79%) want to see more government action on the costs of long-term residential and social care, and 60% agree that care needs should be provided free at the point of delivery.
Half (49%) say that the government’s current proposals for helping people to pay for care costs don’t go far enough, although nearly one-third (29%) think they are ‘as good as the country can afford’.
Gransnet editor Gigi Eligoloff said: ‘Older voters are sometimes presented as set in their ways, and concerned only about their own circumstances – but our survey shows that they’re also concerned about intergenerational equality, and many are still unsure about how to cast their votes at the election.’
