Fear of Brexit ‘is stopping couples having children’ until after EU referendum
Voters are delaying big life decisions like buying houses and booking holidays
THE fear of Brexit has been blamed for wobbling housing prices, jitters in the City and now for nerves in the bedroom.
An expert in voter psychology has claimed couples are shelving plans to have children until after the results of the EU referendum.
In his Inside The Mind of a Voter report, LSE Professor Michael Bruter claims voters are already preparing to modify their housing, banking, holiday, or even family plans according to the result that will be announced later that [referendum] night”.
The claim comes as a think tank calculated leaving the EU would cost low-income families up to £5,500 as the government rebalances the public purse.
Prof Bruter said: “In terms of life choices, we find that overall, a Brexit vote would have a significantly inhibiting effect on people’s likelihood to commit to prospective life-changing choices.
“We indeed find that voters in general and young voters in particular would be far less likely to make family plans ... in the context of a Brexit vote as compared to a vote to remain in the EU.”
He added: “In both cases, the referendum itself and the uncertainty that it causes seem to have made voters claim to be far less likely to start or extend a family, regardless of the result.”
In contrast the academic predicted a spending splurge if the UK votes to Remain, with voters holding out for a result before making expensive purchases.
More than one in six Londoners told researchers they were more likely to splash cash on home improvements or expensive electric goods if Britain stays in the EU.
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Today the National Institute of Economic and Social Research warned low-income families could lose up to £5,500 a year in 2020 in tax credits and benefits if Britain were to quit the European Union.
The forecast is based on the government making up the economic shortfall wholly by welfare cuts.
The think tank suggests George Osborne would not be minded to take what would be a deeply unpopular decision and household were more likely to lose around £2,700.
Today former Cabinet minister Yvette Cooper said: “Leaving is a dangerous risk for working people in Britain.
“Outside the single market, vital state support and public services would be cut and people would lose their jobs and livelihoods.”