COVID-19 – General public opinion tracker
Hanbury Strategy tracked general public opinion on behalf of the Cabinet Office between 28 March and 10 July 2020 on the subject of perceptions of coronavirus.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Documents
Details
The survey was conducted over 44 waves amongst those aged 18+ living in Great Britain, not including Northern Ireland.
Quotas were set, with data weighted to each profile, for:
- age
- gender
- region
- education
The Government’s handling of coronavirus
More people were satisfied than dissatisfied with the government’s handling of coronavirus throughout the survey period, despite satisfaction falling in early May (March to July 2020)
At the time of the first survey, between 28 to 30 March:
- 67% were satisfied
- 20% were dissatisfied
The rest were neutral or did not know.
This is in line with data published by YouGov, where 72% thought the government was handling the issue of coronavirus well (27 March, YouGov). Lockdown measures legally came into force for the first time on 26 March.
At the time of the final survey, between 8 to 10 July:
- 45% were satisfied
- 37% dissatisfied, after a fall in satisfaction in early May
This is in line with data published by YouGov, where 43% thought the government was handling the issue of coronavirus well (8 July, YouGov).
By this time there had been a phased end to the lockdown, with the eventual relaxing of restrictions and 2-metre social distancing rule coming into force on 23 June. The publicly available YouGov data series ended in June 2022 with 46% of the public saying they thought the government was handling the issue of coronavirus well.
- 76% of respondents (28 to 30 March) thought the Government was ensuring that Britain’s critical services and infrastructure could withstand the crisis (71% July)
- 70% (March) that they were keeping the public safe (55% July)
- 70% (March) that they were striking the right balance between dealing with Coronavirus and protecting the economy (53% July)
- 61% of respondents (March) thought that the Government had taken the right measures at the right time to deal with coronavirus (43% July)
- 57% of respondents (March) thought that the Government was ensuring the NHS and its workers had all the resources they needed (54% July)
Clear communication
More respondents agreed than disagreed that the Government communicated clearly throughout the survey period (March to July 2020), even though overall ratings fell substantially during the period as guidance became more complex.
80% said it was true or accurate that the government was communicating clearly at the start of the survey period (28 to 30 March). This had fallen to 47% by the end of the survey period (8 to 10 July).
Respondents were asked what advice or information they had read, seen or heard from the government about how to behave during the outbreak of coronavirus. At the time of the first survey (March) the top three responses were:
- ‘wash your hands regularly’ (90%)
- ‘you can leave home to exercise once per day’ (86%)
- ‘stay at home as much as possible’ (85%)
As time progressed awareness varied for different rules, but washing hands remained consistently high (85% July).
Prime Minister’s broadcast to the nation on Sunday, 10 May 2020
82% of respondents (11 to 13 May) said they had watched the Prime Minister’s broadcast. This set out a conditional plan to lift the lockdown.
At that time:
- 58% of respondents agreed that they understood what the government was trying to do to control coronavirus. This increased to 68% by the time this question was last asked (27 to 29 May)
- 76% agreed that they understood what they needed to do to control coronavirus, rising to 82% by the end of May (27 to 29 May)
- 63% agreed that they understood the criteria to ease or tighten the lockdown, rising to 67% (27 to 29 May)
- 57% said they agreed they understood what they could do today that they could not previously, rising to 64% (27 to 29 May)
- 57% agreed the inclusion of graphics and animations helped them to understand the government’s approach, rising to 64% (27 to 29 May)
Support for lockdown
There was strong support for lockdown measures during the survey period March to July 2020.
93% of respondents at the start of the lockdown (28 to 30 March) supported ‘staying at home, except for food, health reasons or work (if you cannot work from home)’. The same proportion (93%) supported this by the time this question was last asked at the end of the first lockdown (1 to 4 May).
This is in line with data published by YouGov: 84% (27 March, YouGov) supported the government encouraging working from home: 80% (30 April, YouGov).
- 94% (March) supported ‘washing hands for at least 20 seconds’ (93% May)
- 93% supported ‘staying 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people’ (93% May)
- 92% (March) supported ‘self-isolating for 7 days at home if you have developed coronavirus symptoms’ (92% May)
- 90% (March) supported ‘self-isolating for 14 days at home if anyone in your household has had symptoms’ (88% May)
Reasons for leaving home
At the start of the lockdown the most common reason to leave their home once in the last 24 hours was to buy food or other basic necessities (57% 28 to 30 March). This had increased to 67% by early May (6-8 May) when the question was last asked before the PM’s announcement (10 May) of a conditional plan for lifting the lockdown.
- 53% (March) said they left their home once in the last 24 hours to take some kind of exercise, which rose to 74% by the end of the period (May). The proportion of respondents who left their home more than once to buy food or other basic necessities went up from 21% (March) to 30% (May).
Following government advice
39% of respondents at the start of the lockdown (28 to 20 March) found following the ‘government advice on coronavirus’ inconvenient but not difficult, with:
- 36% finding following them easy
- 23% found it difficult
- 1% said they were not following the rules
- 1% saying they did not know
The pattern was similar by the end of the survey period (8-10 July):
- 38% found it inconvenient but not difficult
- 38% found it easy
- 21% found it difficult
Bending the rules
At the start of the lockdown (28 to 30 March 2020) 15% said they were ‘bending the rules to make their life “more pleasant”’, which increased gradually to 25% by the final survey (8 to 10 July).
Temperature taken
83% (15 to 18 April) said they would be willing to have their temperature taken before attending any social gathering if the government lifted the lockdown (84% 8 to 10 July).
Surgical masks
72% (April) said they would be willing to wear surgical masks while outside in public at all times if the government lifted the lockdown (72% July).
COVID app
47% (April) said they would be willing to download an app that would provide the Government with their location data at all times if the government lifted the lockdown (48% July).