Voting Intention: 26th November 2025
See the latest data tables here.
Budget falls flat with UK public, while Badenoch sees a bounce
Nearly half of the UK public believe this week’s Autumn Budget was unfair, with the Chancellor’s tax and spending decisions receiving a cool reception from voters, according to the latest Opinium polling. While neither Rachel Reeves nor Keir Starmer has seen any lift in approval, Kemi Badenoch has enjoyed a small post-Budget bounce.
Key findings
- 46% of the public say the Budget was unfair
- Reeves’ and Starmer’s approval ratings remain low and unchanged (net -42 and net -45)
- Kemi Badenoch’s approval rises 3 points to net -14, tying Nigel Farage
- Freezing rail prices is Reeves’ most popular announcement (net +62)
Public reaction: Budget seen as unfair
As the long-awaited Autumn Budget landed, almost half of voters (46%) judged it unfair. Only one in five (22%) considered the Chancellor’s decisions fair.
The wider reaction to the Budget was similarly negative:
- 48% say they have a negative view of the Chancellor’s plans
- Only 15% think it was a good Budget
- Just 19% think the measures will have a positive impact on the economy
- Nearly two in five (37%) believe it will have a negative effect on their own finances
On the question of necessity, the public was split:
- 25% think the decisions were necessary
- 36% think they were unnecessary
- 39% are unsure
Among 2024 Labour voters, fewer than half (45%) believe the measures were necessary.
Public Oppose Tax-Raising Measures
Policies aimed at raising revenue through tax changes were largely unpopular.
- Cash ISA reforms: net -24
- Freezing income tax and NI thresholds: net -25
- Salary-sacrifice pension changes: net -29
However, several other Budget announcements received strong public support:
| Policy | Good idea | Bad idea | Not sure | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freezing rail fares for the first time in 30 years | 72% | 9% | 19% | +62 |
| Increasing duty on remote gambling and online betting | 68% | 13% | 19% | +55 |
| Keeping fuel duty frozen until September 2026 | 65% | 14% | 21% | +51 |
| Reducing household energy bills by covering part of the renewables charge | 63% | 13% | 24% | +49 |
| Extra council tax charge for homes above £2m | 62% | 20% | 18% | +42 |
| Reversing planned restrictions to winter fuel payments and some disability benefits | 46% | 23% | 31% | +23 |
| Mileage-based road charge for EVs from 2028 | 40% | 35% | 25% | +5 |
| 2-point tax rise on investment income | 32% | 38% | 30% | -6 |
| Abolishing the two-child limit in Universal Credit | 30% | 50% | 20% | -20 |
| ISA investment-allocation rules for under-65s | 20% | 45% | 35% | -24 |
| Freezing income tax and NI thresholds for three years | 25% | 50% | 25% | -25 |
| National Insurance on salary-sacrifice pension contributions | 21% | 50% | 29% | -29 |
The public believe higher-income households would be hardest hit by the Budget’s measures (net -36), with those on lower incomes (net -2) or disabled people (net -7) perceived as less affected.
Leadership Highs and Lows
There was no movement in support for either the Prime Minister or the Chancellor:
- Rachel Reeves: net -42
- Keir Starmer: net -45
By contrast, Kemi Badenoch’s combative response to the Budget in Parliament appears to have resonated with some voters. Her approval rating rose three points, reaching net -14—her best score this year and level with Nigel Farage.
On the question of who would make the best Prime Minister:
- Starmer’s lead over Badenoch narrows to 2 points
- Nearly half (48%) prefer none of the above
- Farage leads Starmer by 6 points
When asked which party would better handle the economy:
- 25% say the Conservatives under Badenoch
- 19% choose Labour under Starmer
- 42% say neither
This gives the Conservatives a 6-point lead on economic management.
Expert Commentary
James Crouch, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Opinium, said:
“Almost half of voters think this was a bad Budget, making it the worst-received fiscal event since the Mini-Budget in 2022. Scrapping the planned income tax rise may have softened the blow, but this Budget does nothing to pull the Government out of its polling freefall.”
Methodology
Opinium conducted a nationally and politically representative sample of 2,050 UK adults, aged 18 and over, between 26-28 November 2025.