Government Performance Polling
UK Government Performance Ratings
Satisfaction ratings for the Starmer government across NHS, economy, immigration, education, and overall performance — tracked since July 2024 with breakdowns by party vote.
Satisfaction by Policy Area (May 2026)
% satisfied vs % dissatisfied with government handling. Source: Ipsos Issues Index / YouGov 2026.
Overall Government Satisfaction — Trend Since GE2024
Labour came into power with a honeymoon period. The chart shows how overall satisfaction has shifted. Source: YouGov government approval tracker / Ipsos.
Satisfaction Ratings by 2024 Vote (May 2026)
% “fairly satisfied” or “very satisfied” with government handling of each issue. Source: Ipsos / YouGov 2025–2026.
| Issue | Labour vote | Con vote | Reform vote | Lib Dem | All adults |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS performance | 38% | 14% | 6% | 28% | 22% |
| Economy management | 34% | 11% | 4% | 22% | 19% |
| Immigration handling | 26% | 9% | 3% | 18% | 15% |
| Education | 48% | 24% | 13% | 40% | 34% |
| Cost of living | 28% | 9% | 5% | 20% | 17% |
| Overall government | 41% | 12% | 5% | 28% | 24% |
Analysis: Why Satisfaction Collapsed After the Honeymoon
Winter fuel cut (October 2024)
The decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to Universal Credit recipients (removing it from around 10 million pensioners) was the single largest trust shock of Labour’s first year. YouGov polling found 60% opposed, and net government approval dropped eight points in three weeks. It remains the most frequently cited policy disapproval in tracker surveys.
NHS waiting lists — still 7.6 million
The NHS waiting list stood at approximately 7.6 million in early 2026, down from a peak of 7.8 million but still far above the 4.4 million at the 2019 election. Satisfaction with NHS performance in Ipsos’s British Social Attitudes survey fell to a record low of 22% — below even the pandemic-era nadir — reflecting frustration that record NHS funding has not visibly reduced waiting times.
Immigration: highest dissatisfaction
At 15%, immigration handling generates the lowest satisfaction of any policy area. Net migration figures for 2025 remained above 600,000, and Labour’s asylum backlog clearance has been slower than expected. Reform voters show near-zero satisfaction (3%), but even among 2024 Labour voters, only 26% are satisfied — suggesting immigration anxiety is cross-partisan at an intensity Labour underestimated before the election.
Education: the relative bright spot
At 34%, education is the only area where a third or more of adults express satisfaction. Bridget Phillipson’s free breakfast clubs rollout generated positive coverage, and teacher pay disputes were resolved by late 2024. However, the VAT change on independent school fees was controversial among parents of affected children, and 55% of adults still rate education provision as “poor” or “very poor.”
Related pages
Satisfaction Ratings in Context: What They Mean for 2029
Government performance satisfaction ratings are one of the strongest leading indicators of electoral outcomes in British politics. Historical analysis consistently shows that when fewer than 30% of voters are satisfied with the government's handling of the two or three issues they rate as most important — typically the economy and public services — the incumbent party faces severe losses at the subsequent election. The Starmer government's satisfaction ratings across all major policy areas are currently below this threshold, suggesting significant electoral risk heading toward the 2029 General Election.
The immigration satisfaction figure of 15% is particularly striking. Reform UK's surge to 28% in voting intention polling is directly correlated with the proportion of voters who rate immigration as very important and rate the government's handling as poor or very poor. Only 3% of Reform UK voters are satisfied with the government's approach to immigration — but more significantly, even among 2024 Labour voters, only 26% are satisfied. This cross-partisan immigration concern represents a structural vulnerability that Keir Starmer's government has struggled to address without alienating its core urban progressive base.
On the economy, the 19% satisfaction figure covers a range of distinct concerns. Cost-of-living satisfaction at 17% is driven primarily by mortgage rates and food prices, which remain historically elevated. Business confidence surveys show improvement from the pandemic lows but remain below the levels needed to generate the productivity growth Labour promised. The government's inheritance of a difficult economic position has provided some political cover, but voter patience with this argument has diminished as Labour approaches its second year in office.
The NHS satisfaction figure of 22% is perhaps the most politically significant. Labour made the NHS a central pledge of their 2024 election campaign — promising to cut waiting times, restore GP access, and invest in mental health services. The current 22% satisfaction rating, tracking close to record lows, suggests that voters are not yet seeing the promised improvements. The government argues that NHS reform takes years to deliver visible results, and that the 10-year plan for health services will show results by 2028–2029. Whether voters are willing to wait that long will be a critical factor in determining Labour's electoral viability. The leader approval data shows this NHS dissatisfaction as one of the main drivers of Starmer's −44 net approval — voters consistently cite health waiting times as their primary reason for disapproving of the Prime Minister's performance. The Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch are monitoring these figures closely, knowing that a continued failure to demonstrate NHS improvement will be their strongest line of attack heading into the 2029 campaign.
Video: Government Performance and the Polls
Video: How low satisfaction with NHS, economy, and immigration performance translates into the dramatic voting intention shifts seen in 2026 UK polling.