Nearly three-quarters (73%) of people feel that they are in worse position today than they would have been ten years ago, according to the second instalment of a wide-ranging ethnographic study by Saatchi & Saatchi entitled ‘What the f*ck is going on?’.
The second instalment of the research explores the challenges and aspirations of the middle classes across the nation.
Spearheaded by chief strategy officer Richard Huntington, Saatchi & Saatchi’s ‘Heartland’ report explored the nation’s sentiment on issues including personal finance, outlooks on everyday life, and perceptions of the country’s future ahead of the upcoming general election.
To carry out the investigation, Saatchi & Saatchi went into homes across the country, gathering insight from a range of different ‘everyday’ people, alongside cultural commentators Nick Ferrari, Joeli Brearley, Otegha Uwagba, Harry Wallop and Henry Dimbleby.
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The study, which was supplemented by quantitative insights from more than 2,000 people earning between £30,000 and £125,000 annually, found that more than half in this bracket (52%) consider themselves to be middle-class.
However, just 60% say they are proud to fall within this demographic.
While more than half feel that ‘hard work’ leads to a better quality of life, only 42% believe that going to university will lead to better opportunities than a vocational cause or apprenticeship.
Perhaps surprisingly, more than 58% of people within this demographic have a side-hustle such as selling belongings online, or using discount programmes to save on costs.
Additionally, a quarter admit that the rising cost of childcare is a struggle in their lives.
The previous iteration of the report, which took place last year, asked people across the UK what they thought about the state of nation, specifically looking at people worried about the cost of living.
“This year, we looked specifically at those paying basic or higher rate income tax. As marketers and society, it seems we are sometimes embarrassed by this group, yet they form most organisations’ key customer base,” said Saatchi & Saatchi chief strategy officer Richard Huntington.
“These findings are essential to truly understand the full spectrum of this complex demographic, the daily challenges they face, and how they feel at such a pivotal moment in the future of the UK ahead of the general election”.
