Tag Archives: survey

Workers Feel ‘Trapped’ In Their Chosen Career By Age 36

Posted on by

Tips to get a hotel business off the groundNew Year is usually the time for change but could it already be too late? According to new research it is too late to change career by the time you reach 41.

A study found that most Brits want to be on their chosen career path by their mid-30s and there is no going back after turning 41.

The survey of 2,000 workers found people are most susceptible to feeling ‘trapped’ in their line of work at the age of 36.

Suzie Webb, AAT’s Director of Education at the Association of Accounting Technicians which carried out the study, said many people have plenty of time to change direction.

“This research shows that many people incorrectly believe that they have to stick with their career despite being a reasonably young age,” she said.

When probed further as to why they had doubts about retraining, 59 per cent of respondents said they feel they are trapped in their current career path or line of work, with the biggest reason for this being the feeling they can’t progress any further and are bored in their current role.

This led to 31 per cent saying they think about changing career around once or twice a month.

The fear of change may be what is holding people back. When asked to describe their current employment, workers were nearly twice as likely to use the word ‘convenient’ than they were to use words like ‘success’ or ‘fulfilling’.

Three in ten said they are stuck because they don’t know what else they could do, while nearly a quarter worry they wouldn’t be any good at anything else.

Well over a fifth said that it’s simply too risky for them to think about any other job.

One in seven said they committed to their career after having kids, while over a fifth confessed they felt too old to learn anything new.

In addition, one in six admitted they were hesitant to get re-qualified in a new area, because they were scared of being labelled ‘a mature student’ in classes.

Suzie Webb says: “Retraining is much less of a big step than people might imagine. There are so many options available – part time, evenings and via distance learning that offer you the chance to study around other priorities in life.

“Plus, people are working for considerably much longer than in the past – so it makes sense that our views towards retraining should also follow this pattern. Lifelong learning is the key to success.”

Frost disagrees however, it is never too late to make a change. Read about people who became successful later in life here.

 

 

 

Two Thirds of Men Would Be Happy To Be a Stay-at-Home Dad

Posted on by

baby, shared parental leave, feminism, equality, childcare, leave, maternal, work, working mothers, lean in The times they are a changing. It is true that women and men will never be equal until men take up their share of childcare (and while we are at it, domestic chores) and it seems that that might actually be happening. A recent survey suggests that two thirds of men would be happy to be a stay-at-home dad.

Despite mums traditionally dealing with the majority of childcare, three quarters of men say they would be happy to quit work during their son or daughter’s first year so that their partner can return to their job, instead of taking the usual period of maternity leave.

And almost one in twenty men are already responsible for looking after their children whilst their wife or girlfriend goes to work.

It also emerged that 72 per cent of women would also be happy if their other half wanted to look after the children with 65 per cent worrying about the effect any time off would have on their career.

The statistics emerged in a study commissioned by national law firm Irwin Mitchell a month before a change in the law which will see couples have the opportunity to start sharing parental leave.

But these results show the new laws designed to encourage parents to share time off work following the birth of their child look set to be far more popular than government predictions had previously stated.

Irwin Mitchell employment partner Glenn Hayes said: “For a long time now, the traditional roles have seen dads returning to work just days after their baby has been born, while mums take a year or so away from their career to look after the children.

“But times are changing and it’s becoming easier, and more acceptable, for dads to take on the role of caregiver, while mums become the main breadwinner. What’s more, it seems the majority of men are happy to have it this way around.

“Thanks to changes coming into effect in April, working couples will be able to share that period of leave over the first year, meaning neither one has to miss out on such a large amount of time away – whether it’s from their career or baby.

“Shared parental leave is one of the most significant changes to flexible working rights but it is still uncertain how many families are expected to take up the new right.

“According to Government projections, as few as 5,700 men will apply over the next 12 months, but the figures in this survey suggest that the appetite for doing so could be much stronger with take up being much higher.

“So it’s important businesses and employers need to be prepared for the changes before they come into force, and know their rights as well as those of their employees.”

The study of 2,000 men and women found 66 per cent of men would be happy to take on the role of stay-at-home dad, whilst another three quarters would happily work part-time to allow their partner to return full-time.

Four in 10 say this is down to them wanting to be a bigger part of their child’s life than they would be if they worked full-time while 19 per cent worry they will miss out on too much of their child’s life otherwise.

More than a third say it’s the most sensible option for them as their wife or girlfriend earns more than them, with another 23 per cent not enjoying their job whilst their other half does.

One in twenty said taking the time off work will be less detrimental to their career than that of their partner.

Other reasons men want to take on the childcare role include it being easier for them to work around school or nursery hours than their partner, believing it would be less stressful to look after the kids than go to work and not wanting to commute anymore.

Sixty-one per cent even claimed they would be happy to become a stay-at-home dad, even if it had a detrimental effect on their career in the future.

But the researcher found that whilst most would be happy to share their decision, 23 per cent of men wouldn’t be comfortable telling their friends about their plan to be a stay-at-home dad, while 49 per cent would be worried about others judging them.

Glenn Hayes, an employment Partner at national law firm Irwin Mitchell, added: “These figures may take businesses by surprise and it is vital that they deal effectively with what is an extremely complex piece of legislation.

“It is important that employees start their conversations with their employers as early as possible in relation to shared leave, but it is vital that companies deal with the requests in the correct manner.

“Many businesses have been slow to prepare themselves for this important change and in doing so have left themselves exposed open to the risk of mishandling requests and inviting claims for discrimination.”

Shared Parental Leave rules allow those whose children are expected to be born or adopted from 5 April will be able to share up to 50 weeks of parental leave between mum and dad during the first year after a baby is born/child is adopted.

Previously, the majority of dads had two weeks paternity leave while mums could have up to 12 months maternity leave and nine months paid maternity leave.

 

 

Dating News: Men Prefer Older Women, Women Prefer Younger Men

Posted on by

finding loveFrost came across this rather interesting dating news, and some stereotypes are born out in the data, such as men increasingly looking for a younger partner as they age. It turns out that men aged 20-29 preferring older to younger women, and women also preferring a younger to older man as they age.

Mind the (age) gap! What does age difference matter for love?

450,000 dating searches reveal the ideal age-gap for a modern relationship

 

  • Study of 450,000 online daters reveals age of perfect partner
  • Men aged 20-29 prefer older women
  • Women’s tolerance of older men decreases with age
  • Older men after the biggest age gap, wanting women 11 years younger 

 

What difference does an age gap make when it comes to love?  In 2015, are there still age-related dating taboos? Inspired by Stephen Fry’s marriage to a man 30 years his junior, new research by dating website EliteSingles, using anonymous search data from almost half a million of its members, reveals exactly what age differences singles look for in a match.

The study analysed the upper and lower age search limits for more than 450,000 of its members, finding that not all men are as focused on finding a youthful partner as the stereotype suggests.

As the male curve on the graph indicates, the stereotype of the older man seeking  an increasingly younger partner does in fact ring true. Men aged 60-69 set, on average, a desired partner age of up to 11 years younger than themselves, while the oldest they would accept is someone just  1 year older.

But younger men buck the trend, with those aged up to 30 preferring to date someone older than younger. Between the ages of 20-29, many men indicate a preference for a partner 3-6 years older than themselves.

EliteSingles Partner Psychologist Sam Owen believes that ‘’the finding that men aged 20-29 prefer older women rather than the suspected “younger model” is likely indicative of the change in gender roles in modern society towards more equality between the sexes. Young men nowadays probably also recognise that older women are adept at diligently juggling so many responsibilities (career, children, housekeeping, fitness, finances, socialising), which makes them intriguing and attractive and a more secure option.’’

Women may not be so keen to play the ‘cougar’ though. The data from female users suggests that still women prefer to be the youngest in a relationship. Women aged over 50, for instance, tend to focus on finding a match who is ideally 6years older than their own age. There is not much wiggle room in this instance: anyone more than 5 years younger is deemed too young.

Younger women echo and even amplify this interest in men older than themselves. For 20-29  year olds, the average given age difference wanted was up to 10 years, whilst women aged 30-39 can imagine a partner 8 years older. And, for women aged 20-29, a man should be no more than 1 and 3 years younger.

 

 What do you think? Do you think age matters in a partner? Do you prefer to go older or younger?

 

 

 

Only 2% of Britons Know How Rich They Really Are

Posted on by

moneyWe are not sure if you saw Channel 4’s How Rich Are You Show last night but it was interesting. Take the quiz and find out how rich or poor you are below. The poll is also an eye-opener.

In a new poll commissioned by Channel 4, people in the UK were asked to guess how their income compared with the rest of the country’s, and then answer a series of questions to calculate the true result. Only 2% of the people surveyed guessed correctly.

The poll was commissioned to accompany How Rich Are You (1 x60) which airs at 8pm on the 10th November. Presented by Richard Bacon, this one-off special will show each of us where we stand in the great money map of Britain – and what that position means. With the help of leading experts, a studio audience and individual case studies, the show builds up a shocking and surprising portrait of the country that is now – officially – the most unequal in Europe.

Alongside the programme, the channel has launched a website app which will enable every viewer to take the ‘How Rich Are You’ test at home. Visitors to channel4.com/howrichareyou can answer a set of simple questions to determine if they are as rich or as poor as they think they are. The data for the app has been provided by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

As many as 67% of the people surveyed underestimated their income compared by more than 10%, indicating a serious lack of understanding as to the economic state of the nation. Only 7% of people overestimated their income compared to the UK – but nobody overestimated by more than 10%. Just 2% correctly estimated their level of income vs the UK population.

The survey reveals that despite the struggles of the current economic climate, 75% of adults say that they manage financially, with 16% stating they struggle to get by.

Despite this there is still a bleak picture of life in 2014, as 61% feel that life in Britain has worsened over the last 20 years. Just 13% feel that life has improved.

The survey shed light on our embarrassment at talking about money. It revealed that 31% of adults surveyed would not be happy to discuss how much money they earn with family and friends, while 19% are not sure how they feel about it.

Interestingly, it is younger people who are more willing to discuss finances, with 60% of those aged 16-24 happy to talk about how much money they make.

When asked about inequality across the UK, the majority of adults (84%) think that the wealthy should pay higher taxes.

Those that feel they have enough money in their household (rating themselves as ‘well off’) feel less strongly on this matter, but still display strong agreement at 73%.

The survey also asked people about average salaries of other professions including a nurse, MP, care worker and average CEO. The results were fascinating with 70% of people overestimating the salaries of a CEO and more than half overestimating the salaries of an MP.

  • An average Nurse in the UK earns just over £26,000. Half of the adults that we spoke to correctly chose this amount, a quarter over estimated how much they earn, while a further quarter under-estimated their wage. Interestingly, those who were struggling in their household underestimated a nurse’s wage the most, while those that were well off overestimated their wage the most.
  • Just 27% of adults correctly knew an MPs current wage of £66,400, while a further 31% thought that MPs were on their soon to be higher wage of £72,000. A further 26% thought that they were paid nearly £20,000 more than their current wage.
  • An average care worker in the UK earns just under £13,000, 42% of adults correctly chose their wage. 50% thought that their earnings were at least 30% higher.
  • An average CEO in the UK earns an annual income of just under £118,000. Just 13% of the adults we spoke to correctly picked this amount, the majority (70%) thought their wage was significantly higher.

Dr Fazia Shaheen, Economist and expert on How Rich Are You? commented: “These numbers serve as a reminder of how little we understand about each other’s lives. We are failing to see the bigger picture – too busy trying to get by on our own wages to notice the growing gap between the very rich and the rest of us.”

John Hay, Commissioning Editor for Channel 4 commented: ““I’m convinced that years from now we will look back on the growing gap between rich and poor as the most significant issue of our age, and I think there’s a real hunger to understand it better (as well as to find out how much our neighbours earn). Richard and the team at Electric Ray have a gift for making important television that doesn’t feel like homework, so I hope this will be both revelatory and addictive viewing.”

Take the quiz here.

 

Actresses Deserve Much More Than Being ‘The Girl’ And a Naked One At That

Posted on by

film characters - anna paquinIn my other life as an actress I have noticed a worrying trend. Well, I say ‘trend’ but actually it has been going on for years: female parts in films were the character has no name and is called ‘The girl’. The girl is usually the only female part in the film and will also have at least one nude scene. Just because it is not humiliating enough to be offered a script where all of the men have names and you don’t, you also have to get your tits out. Nameless and objectified: actresses deserve better than this. WOMEN KIND deserves better than this.

It is hard to describe just how depressing it is to work in an industry where women are reduced constantly to the sum of their parts and not even named. the worrying thing is that this is a common practice. Upon complaining about this on my Facebook, prominent film maker and casting director Rory O’Donnell said: “This is incredibly common. I made fun of it when I wrote The Landlady and gave all the female characters first, last and nicknames and called the only male character ‘The Boyfriend’….but he did get a name during shooting.” If only there were more people like Rory. 

But what is to be done? Well we need more female filmmakers for a start. Here are some highlights from an amazing survey done by Stephen Follows on his must-read blog.

 

  • Between 2009-13, women made up 26.2% of crew members on British films.
  • This compares favourably with top US films over the same period (22.2%)
  • Of all the departments, the Transportation department is the most male, with only 7.7% women.
  • The only departments to have a majority of women are Make-up, Casting, Costume and Production.
  • Visual Effects is the largest department on most major movies and yet only has 16.5% women.
  • 6.4% of composers on UK films were women.
  • 14% of UK films had a female director, compared with 3% of top US films.
  • The percentage of women on British films has barely changed in the past five years.

 

Read more about his survey here. It was in all of the papers so Stephen is truly doing his part for equality.  I often get asked why I don’t leave the industry. The truth is I did take a little break. Of course if my agent had called during that period I would have not said no, but it was a quiet period and I took the moment to reflect on my chosen path. One of them anyway. I often think that if I did not have this magazine and did not make my own projects I might go slightly mad. Luckily I do and I can fight instead. I made Prose & Cons which had a strong female cast and I am making more films with my filmmaking partner Steve McAleavy. The way forward is not to quit the industry, not to let these men give our breasts the starring role while our actual talent is just a nameless supporting character: the key is to raise awareness and FIGHT. Get men to join the battle and equal the playing field. Women deserve more and we won’t stop until we get it. The fightback starts here.

 

Catherine Balavage is a writer, film director, actress and the owner and editor of this magazine. She is also a published author and wrote the book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur which has received rave reviews and is a must for actors everywhere.

 

 

Mind The Gender Gap – Men (Apparently) Make The Best Bosses

Posted on by

Frost has come across a survey we are not sure about. Do men really make the best bosses? 56% of people in a staff bay survey thought so, but we would like your input. Do men or women make the best bosses or does gender not matter when it comes to leadership? Let us know by commenting below or emailing us at frost magazine@gmail.com

  • 56% said they thought men make the best office generals
  • Just 4% of those surveyed said “they didn’t mind” whether a man or woman was their boss
  • Survey comes on back of recent ONS figures showing gender pay gap has decreased since the 1970s but disparity between what men and women take home today still differs dramatically after the age of 30.

 

suitamnestypaulcostelloeThe gender gap might be closing in the office, but men still make the best bosses, that’s the message from a new survey by social media-based recruitment specialists, staffbay.com

 

staffbay.com, which uses social media to bring jobseekers and employers together, asked 15,000 workers which gender they would prefer as a boss, and 56 per cent of them said they thought men make the best office generals. Interestingly, 62 per cent of those questioned were men, and just 4 per cent of those surveyed said “they didn’t mind” whether a man or woman was their boss.

 

staffbay co-founder, Tony Wilmot says that, although attitudes are changing, there still exists a gender divide in the workplace.

 

“The results of our latest survey show that, when it comes to taking up positions of power at work, men still rule the roost. What is particularly shocking about our survey is that only 4 per cent of those surveyed are ambivalent about the gender of their boss.

 

Tony adds: “In 1953, Gallup ran a poll showing that 66 per cent would choose a male boss and only 5 per cent a female one. Thankfully, times are changing. No-one wants to live in a male dominated world, as this only deters young, female talent from entering the workplace.

 

“We know from seeing behind the scenes at staffbay.com, that there are more young females than ever applying for traditionally male roles, and we welcome this. Our message is: get yourselves out there – become the bosses and business leaders of tomorrow.”

 

The survey comes on the back of recent Office of National Statistics Figures which showed that the gender pay gap has decreased since the 1970s but the disparity between what men and women take home today still differs dramatically after the age of 30.

 

Figures show that in 1975, 16 to 18 year olds of both sexes were paid similar sums but this changed after the age of 18 with men earning more than women at every age group. At that time, the biggest percentage pay gap was for 38 year olds, with male employees receiving on average 61 per cent more than their female counterparts.

 

“It’s time for this to change,” says Tony. “By pushing themselves forward and showing their talents off to prospective employers, fast-rising females can make sure this gap closes. We urge them to do all they can to make sure the gender balance is equal.”

 

 

Survey Reveals Men Are Healthier Than Women

Posted on by

Men are healthier and happier than women in general according to a new survey. 

battle of the sexes

Health and Happiness, a nationwide study of 2,000 men and women found that men reported a higher rate of happiness when it came to their weight, shape, appearance, and the way they are perceived by others (55%). Women, on the other hand, were more self-conscious and slightly less satisfied with their happiness levels at around 49%. Women are also much more likely to try dieting (71%) compared to men (47%).

Men don’t feel stressed as often either. Almost 60% of male respondents said they only felt stressed once a month, whereas 60% of women said they felt anxious once a week or more.
Over 70% of men also claim they rarely felt depressed or had mood swings, compared to half of women (50%) who admitted to feeling low or unhappy at least once a month, if not more.

Male respondents reported that they were less likely to have trouble sleeping at night – 51% said restless sleep occurred around once a week or more, compared to 60% of women.
Headaches, bloating or poor digestion were less of a problem among men. Almost half (49%) said they rarely got headaches, compared to 64% women who said they experienced them at least once a month or more. For 70% of men, bloating and poor digestion would only occur once a month or less, but almost half (43%) of women said it was a weekly or daily problem.
Men also reported higher satisfaction levels when it came to their professional lives, from job security (51%) and salary (45%) through to career prospects (46%) and overall finances (50%).

 

Londoners rate themselves the healthiest
Londoners rate their city the health capital of the UK, with 59 per cent of people describing themselves as ‘healthy’, the highest proportion in the UK and above the national average of 54 per cent.   The average units of alcohol consumed per week was relatively low at 5.5 units, compared to Manchester, which saw the highest average of 6.7 units. 79 per cent are non-smokers, and only 12 per cent classed themselves as regular smokers.  Londoners are also keen exercisers, with half doing at least 20 minutes of exercise twice a week or more. They have a high sleep average of 6.7 hours per night and get their serving of five a day an average of 3.16 times per week, compared to the lowest average of only 2.6 times a week in Belfast.

 

Sleep leads to happiness in Sheffield
Sheffield has been revealed as being home to the happiest residents, probably because they are most likely to get the right amount of sleep. 40 per cent said they get a healthy average of seven hours sleep per night, compared to the national average of 34 per cent. Under half (48 per cent) said they were only likely to experience difficulty sleeping once a month or less.  That might be why one in ten said they never feel stressed or anxious. They were also happiest  in the country with their  family life (75 per cent), where they live (66 per cent), shape and weight (54 per cent), and appearance (55 per cent), compared to their respective national averages of 69 per cent, 62 per cent, 52 per cent and 52 per cent.

 

Feeling glum in Brum
Birmingham was revealed as the unhappiest and most stressed city in the UK. The city had the highest number of smokers and its residents suffered the most ailments in the country.  Brummies had the lowest average when asked to rate their happiness in terms of their relationships (56 per cent), family lives (63 per cent) overall health (55 per cent) and their appearance (50 per cent), below the respective national averages of 60 per cent, 69 per cent, 60 per cent and 52 per cent.

 

Over 30% are smokers and the city has the second lowest quitting rate.  When it came to stress and anxiety, 62 per cent said they experienced one or the other once a week or more. Jobs were cited as the biggest cause of stress (31 per cent) closely followed by money (29 per cent). Brummies also suffer the most ailments, with 48 per cent experiencing bloating and poor digestion, 44 per cent having headaches, and 47 per cent complaining of low moods once a week or more. Nearly half (44 per cent) reported difficulty sleeping most nights.

 

Unhealthy but loved up in Belfast
Almost half (46 per cent) of respondents from Belfast described themselves as ‘unhealthy’ when asked to rate their current health status – the highest percentage in the country.  Over half (53 per cent) complain of difficulty sleeping once a week or more and one in ten say they get daily headaches. More than one in four (27 per cent) experience low moods or depression once a week or more, and 37 per cent admitted that they would only do 20 minute workout sessions once a month or less. They were also the least likely to get their portions of five-a-day each week.

 

Although Belfast had the fourth highest number of smokers in the UK, it also had the best quitting rate, with a quarter of people saying they have given up smoking – the highest in the country. They also came top of the poll when questioned about how happy they were in their relationships and love life, with an average happiness score of 67 per cent. They also reported the most satisfying sex lives, with an average happiness rating of 55 per cent – above the national average of 51 per cent.

 

Cardiff is the capital of cardio
People living in Cardiff are the exercise pros of the UK with over half (54 per cent) doing at least 20 minutes of exercise twice a week or more, the highest percentage in the country. But despite high levels of exercise, Cardiff residents are the least content with their shape and weight, with an average happiness score of 49 per cent, just below the national average of 52 per cent.
When it came to money, however, the city was the happiest with their overall finances, with an average happiness rating of 52 per cent, compared to the national average of 49 per cent.

 

Sleep deprived Scots
Edinburgh is home to anation of sleep deprived residents with nearly 1 in 10 people only getting up to four hours sleep a night, a good two and half hours below the national average. When they do sleep, over 70 per cent said they have restless nights or difficulty sleeping. Feelings of stress and anxiety were a weekly occurrence among 47 per cent of respondents and money was cited as being the biggest cause of stress (39 per cent). The city also experienced a high proportion of daily ailments with one in five suffering from arthritis and joint problems every day – the most in the country.

 

Manchester drinks the most

Manchunians have admitted to being the biggest drinkers in the UK with the highest weekly average units of alcohol consumed. Residents admitted to drinking an average of 7 units of alcohol per week, compared to the national average of 5 units, and 15 per cent disclosed that they consume on average over 15 units per week.

Despite this, almost half (49 per cent) of residents described themselves as healthy when asked to rate their health status. Manchester was also revealed to be the second keenest city when it comes to exercise. Nearly one in four claim to do at least 20 minutes of exercise four times a week or more, closely behind the highest which was Cardiff at 26 per cent.

There is also a relatively low rate of smokers, with only 12 per cent of people regarding themselves as regular smokers.
Bristolians best at beating the bulge
Bristol is the city of successful dieters, with 42 per cent saying they have tried dieting and that it has worked for them. 17 per cent of respondents said they hadn’t tried to diet but would be willing to give it a go. They get their serving of five a day on average three times a week but happiness levels are below the national averages when it comes to their salary, career prospects, appearances, job security and overall finances.

 

Liverpool high anti-diet rate
Liverpool has the highest rate of anti-dieters with a quarter of residents saying they would be reluctant to try one – the highest in the country. Only 14% who had never tried one before said they would be open to the idea, still the lowest percentage in the country.  They are also one of the least likely cities to get regular exercise with 36 per cent reporting 20 minutes of exercise once a month or less.  76 per cent said they felt stressed once a month or more, the second highest in the country after Birmingham.

 

Leeds stressed and losing sleep
Over half of Leeds residents (54 per cent) experience stress once a week or more. Money was cited as the biggest cause of stress (34 per cent), followed by jobs (24 per cent) and then family (14 per cent). Leeds also experiences frequent levels of sleep difficulty, with 64 per cent saying they have trouble sleeping once a week or more.  Over one in ten admitted to only getting up to 5 hours of sleep a night.

 

Benefits Street: Good TV, and Fair

Posted on by

Amongst people who have actually watched Benefits Street, most say that it is good TV and that it fairly portrays life in impoverished communities

BenefitsStreet_logo_wA new YouGov survey finds the programme is a big hit with viewers, and amongst those who have actually watched it, the majority do not think it is unfair or in bad taste.

Read more here.

Here is some of the YouGov Survey.

Ever since it first aired on 6th January, Channel 4’s Benefits Street has caused outrage. After episode one, a number of James Turner street residents who appeared in the programme said they had been lied to about its intentions and wrongly portrayed; after episode two, Channel 4 said they would be given right of reply in a live TV debate; by episode four, it has received 1,700 complaints.

Now a new YouGov survey finds the programme is a big hit with viewers, and amongst those who have actually watched it, the majority do not think it is unfair or in bad taste.

A sizeable third (33%) of the population have seen at least some of Benefits Street on TV. Of those, 78% say they might or will definitely watch it again and only 20% say they probably or definitely will not.

Unambiguously, 62% of viewers say the programme is ‘good TV’ while only 30% say it is bad TV.

Most interestingly, amid claims that “[James Turner] street has been turned into a zoo and the residents feel like they are exhibits”, viewers who say the programme is fair outnumber those who say it is unfair two to one.

59% of viewers say Benefits Street “fairly portrays what life is like in impoverished communities and the difficult issues it brings up”, while 23 say it “unfairly portrays poor people and creates resentment towards people in real need”.

Further, people who are actually claiming some kind of benefits are more likely to say the programme is fair (34%) than unfair (24%). 28% of those not claiming benefits say the programme is fair, and 22% say it is unfair.

The series finale airs on Channel 4 on Monday 10th February.

Do you agree?