GovWire

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 Governments handling of coronavirus

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 Britains 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

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 Ministers broadcast to the nation on Sunday, 10 May 2020

82% of respondents (11 to 13 May) said they had watched the Prime Ministers 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 governments approach, rising to 64% (27 to 29 May)

Support for lockdown

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%
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