Populus Poll

State of Roads

• Four in five (78%) saga respondents disagree that the roads in their local area are in a good state. Those in Scotland (84%) and the North West (83%) are most likely to disagree with this statement. Respondents in Scotland (86%) and the North West (86%) are also the most likely to agree that they don’t maintain roads like they used to.
• The same proportion of Saga respondents (82%) think roads in their local area have got worse over the last few years and that they don’t maintain roads like they used to.
• Those in London are least likely (68%) to say they don’t maintain the roads as well as they used to.

Valentine’s Day

• Just over half of Saga respondents (52%) that are in a relationship plan on buying their partner something for Valentine’s Day 2017. Men are more likely to buy their partner a gift than women (55% compared to 45% respectively)
• The most popular planned gift is a Valentine’s Day card (35%), followed by flowers (16%) and dinner (16%). Less popular are Jewellery (2%), a joke present (1%) or lingerie (1%).
• The average amount Saga respondents in a relationship plan on spending on their partner for Valentine’s Day is £35.40. Men are likely to spend much more than women on their partner (£44.79 compared to £14.72 respectively). Those in the South West are most generous, planning on spending an average of £60.37 on their partner.

Money

• Two thirds (67%) of Saga respondents were taught the basics of managing their money by parents. Others were taught the basics by their school (7%), grandparents (6%), or friends (6%).
• The vast majority (87%) think there is more choice now when it comes to managing their money than when they were younger. A reduced majority (60%) believe that greater choice about managing money has made things more complicated.
• Two in three (66%) think managing money has become more complicated over recent years. Older respondents are more likely than younger respondents to agree with this statement (61% of 50-59s compared to 68% of 80-89s). A similar proportion (65%) believe managing money has become more time consuming.
• Nine in ten (91%) Saga respondents think children should be given education on personal finance in school.
• Just under seven in ten (69%) think banks or financial institutions should make it easier for people to manage their money.

Generational divide

• A quarter (26%) of Saga respondents would go into a local school as a volunteer reader if given the opportunity. Women are more likely to take advantage of this opportunity than men (39% compared to 16% respectively).
• Female Saga respondents would also go to a computer class (19%) or an all age orchestra or choir (19%). Men are generally less likely than women to do any activity listed (48% compared to 65% respectively), but 17% would go to a computer class and 14% would engage in a debate about intergenerational issues.

ISAs

• Saga respondents most often think (30%) over 18s can open Cash ISAs, a similar proportion (27%) think anyone of any age can open this product. One in five (19%) don’t know. A third (34%) of respondents believe over 18s can open Investment ISAs. Half this proportion (16%) believe anyone of any age can open an investment ISA. A quarter (24%) do not know.
• Two in five (38%) Saga respondents think that Junior ISAs can be opened by under 18s. Women are more likely than men to think this (44% compared to 33% respectively). One in five (21%) think that Junior ISAs can be opened by those over the age of 16.
• Saga respondents most often (44%) think help to buy ISAs can be opened by anyone looking to buy their first house. Women are more likely to think this than men (39% compared to 49% respectively). One in ten (11%) think Help to Buy ISAs can be opened by those over 18.
• Just over a third (35%) do not know who can open a lifetime ISA. One in five (20%) think those over 18 can open one. A majority (51%) of Saga respondents do not know who can open an Innovative Finance ISA. Just under one in five (17%) think it can be opened by those over 18.
• Three quarters (74%) of Saga respondents think it’s true that adults can open a new ISA account each year with a different provider. Slightly fewer respondents (71%) believe the statement ‘adults can only have one ISA account at any given time’ is false.
• Most often, saga respondents think it is true that it is possible to transfer cash ISAs into investment ISAs and vice versa (48%). Similarly, around half (49%) think it’s true that you must transfer your ISA to another provider, not close the account and open one with another provider in order to maintain the tax free benefits.
• Saga respondents are unsure about whether ISAs and stocks and shares ISAs are different types of ISA, with a four in ten (38%) saying this statement is true, a third (33%) saying this statement is false and three in ten (29%) saying they don’t know.
• Over half (51%) of Saga respondents don’t know whether children can open a new junior ISA account each year with a different provider. Just over a third (35%) think this statement is true.
• Most often, Saga respondents (48%) do not know which investments can be put in a stocks and shares ISA. Of the given options, Saga respondents most commonly (39%) think that shares in companies can be put into a stocks and shares ISA, next most commonly (34%) they mention unit trusts and investments funds and other non ISA stocks and shares that they already hold (25%).
• Saga respondents estimate the annual allowance for ISAs at an average of £13,860, just below the true amount of £15,240. Men tend to estimate it slightly higher than women (£14,175 compared to 13,429 respectively)
• Three in five (59%) believe you can split your annual allowance in any way as long as it is below the allowance when the ISAs are combined. One in ten (13%) think you cannot split your allowance, or you can split it in any way as long as each are below the allowance.
• Most of Saga respondents (50%) agree that there are too many different types of ISA and that ISA rules are too complex (53%). However a similar proportion (50%) think that there is a wide variety of ISAs to suit the needs of each individual.
• Under half (45%) of Saga respondents agree that there should be just one ISA account that you can use for anything. One in five (21%) disagree with this statement.

Royal Yacht

• Saga respondents are divided as to whether the government should commission a new Royal Yacht Britannia for the Queen and her successors with 42% supporting and 39% opposing.
• Older respondents tend to have greater support for a commissioning than younger respondents (36% of 50-59s support it compared to 53% of 80-89s).

NHS

• A large majority (68%) of Saga respondents support the creation of a 7 day NHS.
• Older respondents are slightly more likely to support this initiative (67% of 50-59s support it compared to 72% of 80-89s).

Care

• Only 1% of Saga respondents have care support in their own home. Less than 1% report having support in a care home. Older respondents are more likely to have care in their own home than younger respondents (1% of 50-59s compared to 4% of 80-89s respectively).
• 16% of respondents have older relatives with care support. One in ten Saga respondents’ relatives receive support in their own home and slightly less (7%) receive support in a care home. Non-retired respondents are more likely to have a relative received care than retired respondents (20% compared to 15% respectively).
• Of those that receive care support personally in their own home, two in three (64%) have none of the cost of that care met by the local authority. One in five (20%) have the care costs met in full by the local authority.
• Of those Saga respondents that have relatives which receive care in their own home or a care home just over half (52%) have none of the cost of their care met by the local authority. Those in their own home are more likely to have their care cost met in full than those in a care home (22% and 14%) respectively.

Populus interviewed 9,998 Saga respondents, all aged 50+ online between 17 and 23 January 2017. Data was weighted to be nationally representative. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules; for more information www.populus.co.uk