As the Department for Communities and Local Government manfully cuts another 30% from its budget, does that mean the British are resigned to austerity? Only 23% now say they and their family have been affected at least a fair amount by spending cuts, compared with 33% in 2012. Worry about the impact of spending cuts in the future has also fallen, from 61% in 2012 to 46% now. But a large proportion (43%) think that public services have become worse over the last five years, and concern over the future of the NHS is at record levels. In local government however, despite years of real cuts, rather than 0.8% rises, only a minority think local services such as street cleaning, recycling, libraries, leisure centres and bus services are worse.
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