Public trust in scientists at record high

In a long-running annual poll of the trustworthiness of different professions, scientists have achieved their highest score ever. 83% of UK citizens polled said they trusted scientists. This this has climbed 20 percentage points over the past two decades.

The Ipsos Mori Veracity Index has measured the trust held in different professions since 1983. Those polled are asked to say whether they trust people from various professions to tell the truth or not.

In the 2017 index, trust in scientists has matched its previous high score of 83% – previously achieved in 2014. Across all professions, the overall level of trust for those requiring a degree (88%) was 21 percentage points higher than for those requiring no formal qualifications (67%). Nurses topped the poll as the most trustworthy profession with a score of 91%, while politicians (17%), estate agents and journalists (each with 27%) were among the least trustworthy. The ‘ordinary man/woman in the street’ received a trust rating of 64% this year.