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Report
Political mindsets

Every voter counts: winning over low-income voters

Low-income voters have been locked out of policy-making and debate for too long. How can politicians gain their support and trust in the next election and beyond?

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Low-income voters have increasing power in British politics, and a strong wish to improve their own prospects and their communities. Slogans need to be backed up by reality: it is time for the concerns, ideas and values of people living on a low income to rise to the centre of politics. All political parties stand to gain by listening to these voters. So too does our democracy.

What you need to know:

  • Low-income voters are a large segment of the electorate, around 9.5 million people; 2.7 million of them can be characterised as swing voters.
  • Low-income voters are still more likely to vote Labour than Conservative, but they are less tribally loyal to one party.
  • Brexit is not the most important issue to most of them: they want action to revitalise the places they live in, opportunities for themselves and their children to thrive, and for their living standards to improve.

What this report shows you:

  • who is most likely to live on a low income in Britain, and their key concerns
  • how people on low incomes voted in recent elections, and the pivotal role they might play in the next one
  • results from a large survey of low-income voters, and a nationally representative sample, to understand the values and attitudes shaping their intentions right now.
Ballot papers being counted during an election.

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