Fears about the recession are felt by more people in Kent and Medway than the rest of Britain.

Most adults have already made lifestyle changes to combat the downturn, or intend doing so early this year.

These are the findings of a new survey conducted exclusively for the KM Group which reveals:

Adults are pledging to eat out less, spend less on clothes, holidays, trips to the pub and even charity donations.

Many are going on-line to try to save money.

But most don’t expect the downturn to be so bad they will lose their job or home.

The survey - carried out by Ipsos MORI - obtained the views of 378 members of the Kent and Medway Citizens’ Panel (KMCP).

The online panel was set up by the KM Group and Kent County Council to provide feedback on issues important to the wellbeing of the region and its residents.

The survey on the economic situation was carried out between October 31 and November 14, 2008.

A huge 76 per cent feared the economy in Kent would get worse in the next 12 months. However, 15 per cent thought it would stay the same and five per cent predicted an improvement.

This is gloomier than the findings of a national Ipsos MORI poll at the same time which showed 68 per cent thought it would get worse, 13 per cent that it would stay the same and 17 per cent that it would improve.

Sir Robert Worcester, the founder of MORI who lives in Kent, said: "Kent’s EOI (Economic Optimism Index) is significantly worse than the rest of the country. While two-thirds of British adults believe things are going to get worse in the coming year, in Kent it’s three people in four.

"This is a complete turnaround on the 1991-92 recession, when it began in the North and took a year or 18 months before it reached Kent."

The KMCP survey shows that one-in-five (21 per cent) said it was very likely that their own financial position would worsen and 42 per cent thought it fairly likely.

Nearly one in 10 (nine per cent) expect to be made redundant, but a third (34 per cent) said it was not very likely to happen to them and one in four (19 per cent) thought it not at all likely.

Two-thirds (68 per cent) thought it unlikely they would be forced to leave their homes because of mortgage or rent arrears.

Almost four out of five Kent adults (79 per cent) said they were more aware than a year ago of the money they were spending each month and 48 per cent strongly agreed that their money wasn’t stretching as far as it did a year ago.

In November, when the survey was conducted, almost six in 10 (57 per cent) said they were planning to spend less on Christmas gifts this year. Only eight per cent planned to spend more than last year.

While 29 per cent were planning to do most of their Christmas shopping locally, 12 per cent said they would head to a large out-of-town centre like Bluewater. But 30 per cent said their gifts would be bought online.

uE06E The survey was conducted online by Ipsos MORI with 378 interviews completed by KMCP panel members aged 16+ between October 31 and November 14 2008, a response rate of 69 per cent.

National figures (Ipsos MORI for the Observer), 1,002 telephone interviews conducted nationwide in Great Britain (not including Northern Ireland) between November 14-16, 2008.

How to have your say

Do you want to join the Kent and Medway Citizens’ Panel and help the decision-makers understand more about the region and its residents?

For more details and an entry for, go to www.kmcp.co.uk >>>