Balanced budgets are not a worry in London

Carefree Londoners are much less concerned about making ends meet during the recession than other Brits, according to an Ipsos survey of consumer trends. In contrast, making day-to-day finances add up tops the Scots and the Welsh lists.

Russ Lidstone, managing partner at Euro RSCG, who commissioned the survey of 1,000 people, said: "That Londoners are almost a third less likely than the national average to put making ends meet among their top concerns gives us a great insight into how they are reacting to the recession."

The research also shows that, despite the recession, worries about climate change and pollution remain high. And it comes as many companies seek to scale back their corporate social responsibility programmes. Last month Prudential, the FTSE 100 insurer, made redundant Tina Christou, its head of corporate responsibility, illustrating the downgrading of CSR.