State of the State:<\/p>\n
Survey captures challenges for government and public services<\/p>\n
\nLatest survey from Deloitte and Re:State finds cost of living the public\u2019s top priority for government, the NHS second and immigration third;
\nPublic is more satisfied than not with several public services and local factors \u2013 but satisfaction has dropped since 2020, especially in hospitals and healthcare;
\nPeople fear Artificial Intelligence (AI) could take the human touch out of public services, but they see the opportunity for a smarter, less bureaucratic state.
<\/p>\n
Tackling the cost of living crisis is the UK public\u2019s top priority for government, according to a new poll from Deloitte and the think tank Re:State.<\/p>\n
When asked to name their priorities from a list of issues, 74% said \u2018the cost of living\u2019 followed by \u2018the NHS\u2019 (69%). \u2018Immigration and border security\u2019 was third (53%), having climbed ten percentage points since the 2023 survey. The other most notable shift since 2023 was \u2018climate change\u2019, which has gone down as a priority for the public by 13 percentage points to 30%.<\/p>\n
These findings come from the latest annual \u2018State of the State\u2019 report which brings together an exclusive Ipsos UK poll, which examines attitudes towards government and public services, and interviews with senior public sector officials.<\/p>\n
When asked about satisfaction in local services, the poll found people more satisfied than not with their council, transport, local amenities, the local environment, and schools. They were more dissatisfied than satisfied with hospitals, housing, job prospects, and social care.<\/p>\n
However, since the question was last asked in 2020, satisfaction has gone down across the board. The most significant fall is for hospitals and healthcare, where satisfaction has dipped from 65% in 2020 to 31% in the latest poll.<\/p>\n
The survey also explored public attitudes to the use of AI in public services. When asked to name the top risks associated with AI, 51% said \u2018reduced human contact\u2019, 50% said \u2018potential job losses\u2019 and 47% said \u2018loss of human oversight\u2019. When asked about the potential benefits, 33% said the public sector could \u2018analyse more information\u2019, 33% said AI could lead to \u2018less admin\u2019 and 26% said it could \u2018reduce costs\u2019.<\/p>\n
Rachel Charlton, Government & Public Services lead partner at Deloitte, said: \u201cLocal services have done incredibly well to maintain public satisfaction since the pandemic, which was one of the most difficult times for them in recent history. However, satisfaction is down overall, and that sets out a challenge for the years ahead: government and public services must keep improving for the citizen experience to recover.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI looks set to play its part in the future of public services,\u201d added Charlton. \u201cThis poll illustrates how the public needs reassurance that AI will not replace the humanity at the heart of their services, but free up time for frontline workers to do more of what they do best – support the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charlotte Pickles, Chief Executive of Re:State, added: \u201cSatisfaction with public services is on a downward spiral, with very few people thinking things will improve in the near future. It\u2019s perhaps unsurprising therefore that the public do not want to see their taxes raised to allow for more spending.<\/p>\n
\u201cRebuilding trust in the State\u2019s ability to deliver is absolutely key. The good news from the report is that public service leaders understand the urgency and want to see a laser focus on delivery. The government need to enable this by getting on with the \u2018rewiring\u2019 of Whitehall they promised.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
About the research\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Deloitte\u2019s annual\u00a0State of the State report\u00a0<\/a>examines public attitudes towards government and public services.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Methodology\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Ipsos UK surveyed\u00a05,847 UK adults aged 16-75 online between 12 and 18 December 2025.\u00a0This included respondents in England\u00a0(3,813),\u00a0Scotland (834), Wales (685)\u00a0and Northern Ireland (515). Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.<\/p>\n Topic areas included: the top priorities and expectations for the UK over the next few years, attitudes to taxation and spending, trust in the government, satisfaction with their local area, attitudes towards AI and the impact of technology on public services, and the future impact of government on key issues.<\/p>\n About Re:State<\/p>\n Re:State<\/a>\u00a0is an independent, non-party, charitable think tank whose mission is to set out ideas that will improve public services for all and deliver value for money.\u00a0\u00a0More here: re-state.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"State of the State: Survey captures challenges for government and public services
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