Opinion poll: Britons more pessimistic about UK economy
September 30, 2021, 6:48 am

Opinion poll: Britons more pessimistic about UK economy

The US News reported according to Reuters, an opinion poll published on Thursday showed, Britons have turned more pessimistic about the economy amid growing pressure on household budgets from rising energy prices and broader inflation.

According to the poll, twenty-eight percent of respondents in the poll by Kantar Public said they thought the economy would be in a worse state in 12 months' time, up from 20% in August. Those who thought it would be doing better fell by six points to 24%.

The report said, more than half were worried about not being able to keep their home warm enough this winter while three in 10 said they were finding it harder to meet their household budgets than a year ago, an increase of six points from August.

Economy-UK-Coins

Wholesale natural gas prices have doubled over the past month, leading to the collapse of several smaller British energy suppliers. Regulated household energy prices are set to rise steeply next month, and probably again in April.

Last week, the Bank of England raised its forecast for inflation which it now expects to peak at above 4% and it lowered its estimate for economic growth in the third quarter, in large part due to post-lockdown bottlenecks in supply chains.

Kantar Public said it interviewed 1,089 people between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27.

A separate report showed slower growth among businesses in the three months to September although activity was still above its long-run average.

The Confederation of British Industry's growth balance - based on surveys of manufacturers, retailers and other services firms - dropped to +27 from +34 in the three months to August, with the biggest fall in consumer services and distribution.

CBI deputy chief economist Anna Leach said: "The private sector recovery has slowed this month as the immediate boost provided by loosening COVID-19 restrictions fades amidst a mix of labour and materials shortages, and supply chain disruption."

Source: usnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”