UK households have grown more downbeat about their finances with worries about job security at their worst in more than a year, according to a new poll.

The IHS Markit household finance index report for February said it reflected a recent slowdown in economic growth and uncertainty as Brexit approaches.

The index reading of 43.4 was down from 44.7 in January and represented the worst deterioration of current financial wellbeing among UK households since March.

An indicator of job security perceptions was at its weakest since January 2018.

That was despite official indicators showing continuing strength in the labour market, with figures out on Tuesday expected to show another upturn in wage growth.


The poll comes after GDP figures showed UK economic growth last year was its weakest since 2012 and the Bank of England predicted growth in 2019 would be the weakest since the financial crisis as uncertainty over Brexit takes a serious toll.

Joe Hayes, economist at IHS Markit, said the latest poll highlighted "the headwinds that fragile consumer finances present to the wider economy".

He added: "The impact on confidence caused by Brexit uncertainty continues to pose a notable risk to the domestic economy, also highlighted by job security perceptions becoming increasingly negative in February."