A third of NI households ‘expect to be worse off’
Almost a third of households in Northern Ireland expect their financial position to get worse over the next year, a survey suggests.
By John CampbellBBC News NI Economics & Business Editor A quarter of people expect to be a little worse off while 7% think they'll be a lot worse off. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) surveyed 1,785 people between 21 April and 23 July. About half expected their financial position to stay the same; 12% thought they would be a little better off. One percent though they would be much better off. There were significant differences in the perceptions of how the financial position will change depending on age group. Almost four in ten people (38%) aged 45-64 expected the financial position of their household to get a little or a lot worse in the next 12 months. But for those aged 65 and older, this figure was substantially lower, at 24%. Whatever their expected household position, the vast majority of people surveyed expected the general economic situation to get worse. Almost 90% of people said they expected a general economic deterioration, with people in rural areas taking the most pessimistic view.