Research by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr has revealed some of the most common Google searches around the cost-of-living crisis – highlighting what’s worrying people the most as living costs soar and real incomes decline.

Given the uncertain economic outlook in the UK over the past year, and for the foreseeable future, it’s perhaps unsurprising that people frequently turn to search engines, like Google, to get advice and support, and stay informed about potential changes to their essential household bills, such as heating, fuel, groceries, and mortgages.

Ciphr’s analysis of Google data shows there was a 1,590% increase in the number of searches in the UK for the term ‘cost of living’ in the year to August 2022, compared to the previous 12 months (up from 26,300 average annual searches to 444,400).

The average number of monthly searches for ‘petrol prices’ and ‘interest rates’ also increased to reach 135,000 searches apiece in August 2022. Search interest in energy bills, food prices, inflation, mortgage rates, tax cuts, and pay rises all also rose that month (with the number of searches likely even higher now).

People across the UK may share similar concerns when it comes to the cost-of-living crisis, but not everyone is affected equally. Notably, searches in Wales for the term ‘cost of living’ increased by 10,700% (per 10,000 people) in August 2022, compared to August 2021. Meanwhile, searches by people living in Scotland and England were up 5,686% and 5,556% respectively, and in Northern Ireland they increased by 2,500%.

Ciphr compared search data to find out which aspects of the cost-of-living crisis were being more regularly searched for now than last year. They also looked at which major UK towns and cities (from a list of 118) recorded the largest increases in average monthly searches per 10,000 people.

Who is Googling what? (August 2022 vs August 2021)

• Cost of living: Bracknell – 15,900% increase in searches per 10,000 people
• Energy bills: Cardiff – 4,700%
• Food prices: London – 586%
• Inflation: Newport – 1,300%
• Interest rates: Cardiff – 2,850%
• Mortgage rates: Newport – 2,500%
• Petrol prices: Newport – 3,800%
• Tax cuts: London – 875%
• Pay rise: Glasgow – 400%

Bracknell in Southeast England recorded a massive 15,900% (per 10,000 people) rise in the number of monthly searches for the term ‘cost of living’ in August 2022, compared to August 2021 – almost double that of any other UK town or city (searches in Leeds and Birmingham were up 9,400% and 8,900% respectively).

Cardiff and Newport also feature prominently in the findings. Search interest for ‘energy bills’ and ‘interest rates’ rose by 4,700% and 2,850% per 10,000 people in Cardiff. Newport had the largest increases in online searches for three cost-of-living related terms: ‘inflation’, ‘mortgage rates’, and ‘petrol prices’ – up 1,300%, 2,500%, and 3,800% per 10,000 people respectively.

The people living in London, Birmingham and Glasgow may be separated by hundreds of miles but search interest in ‘food prices’ rose by 300% or more per 10,000 people in all three cities in August 2022 (compared to August 2021).

Newcastle-under-Lyme and Grimsby also saw large increases in online searches for ‘petrol prices’ (up 1,600% and 1,300% per 10,000 people respectively). And ‘energy bills’ concerns sparked a 2,000% increase in searches in Gloucester and Luton.

Ciphr was also able to chart which UK towns and cities generated the most monthly searches for information about the cost-of-living crisis (combining data for ‘cost of living’, ‘energy bills’, ‘food prices’, ‘inflation’, ‘interest rates’, ‘mortgage rates’, ‘petrol prices’, ‘tax cuts’, and ‘pay rise’ searches).

Walsall in the West Midlands topped the list, with the most cost-of-living related searches over the past six months at 213 per 10,000 people. This was followed by Bedford, Dudley, and Stockton-on-Tees.

It’s worth noting that 75% of the top 20 towns and cities (and 70% of the top 50) that conducted the most online searches for information about the cost-of-living crisis between and March and August 2022 are in the Midlands and Northern England (the top 50 also includes two Scottish towns).

Most (70%) of these 20 towns and cities also have lower than average full-time weekly wages. The UK’s average, according to the latest annual earnings data available from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), is £611 (the average hourly rate for full-time workers is £15.65).

The top 10 towns and cities with the largest number of online searches for information about the cost-of-living crisis, ranked from highest to lowest average monthly searches per 10,000 people, are:

Commenting on the results, Claire Williams, chief people officer at Ciphr, says: “It is an incredibly unnerving time for employees and employers across the country.

“Employees are understandably concerned about the impact of the rising cost of living, and for many that doesn’t only mean a reduction in their disposable income, but an impact on their ability to continue to pay the bills. This can cause a huge amount of stress and anxiety, which can in turn impact employees’ health and performance.

“Employers, on the other hand, have a tricky balancing act to achieve, and I’d be surprised if it isn’t high on most organisations’ people agenda.

“On one hand, failing to recognise and respond to the impact the increasing cost of living is having on employees – whether it be through increased pay or bonuses, financial wellbeing support, development opportunities, creative benefits, or other means – could result in employers seeing their staff turnover increase as employees seek work elsewhere for more money.

“On the other hand, employers are also in a position where they are seeing their costs increase and possibly a downturn in revenue as customers become more cautious, therefore they will also be considering how best to protect their organisations’ financial health and, importantly, their employees’ jobs.”

www.ciphr.com/cost-of-living-crisis-statistics