A nationwide poll carried out by UK supermarket giant Asda has revealed millions of people fear losing their jobs in the next six months.
Many said they would be willing to take a pay cut or reduced hours to prevent being made unemployed.
The survey found that more than two thirds of people are prepared to take a pay cut or pay freeze, with nearly half worried about losing their jobs. Only 35% of people feel secure in their existing role.
Half thought their pay would be frozen this year, or would fall, while a further 15% thought their pay rise would be lower than last year.
The study comes on the back of the latest Asda Income Tracker, which revealed that the average UK household had £131 a week of discretionary income in February 2009, 9.2% less than a year earlier.
Andy Bond, Asda president and chief executive, said: “Consumer confidence is the key to economic recovery, so it is essential that people are reassured that the fear of losing your job is much higher than the reality.”
