Ipsos Veracity Index 2022

Michael Clemence & Laura King

The Ipsos Veracity Index is the longest running poll on trust in professions in Britain, having been asked consistently since 1983. The 25th edition reveals a significant decrease in public trust in politicians, with trust falling to levels last seen after the expenses crisis of 2009. It also reveals that nurses, engineers and doctors are the top three professions most trusted to tell the truth in Britain in 2022.

Trust in politicians has fallen by seven percentage points since 2021, making them the least trusted profession in Britain. Just twelve per cent of the public say they trust politicians to tell the truth, down from 19% in 2021 and 15% in 2020. While trust in politicians has traditionally been low, this is the lowest score recorded for politicians in the history of the index. However, trust has been at similarly low levels in the past: this year’s score is the lowest since levels last seen in 2009 in the aftermath of the expenses crisis, when 13% said they trusted politicians. Fieldwork for politicians was from 26 October – 1 November, immediately after Rishi Sunak’s accession to the post of Prime Minister.

This year’s top six most trusted professions are nurses, engineers, doctors, scientists, teachers and museum curators. Trust in nurses, doctors, teachers and museum curators has fallen since 2021, while trust in scientists has stayed the same and trust in engineers has risen by three percentage-points to make them the nation’s second-most trustworthy profession.

Trust in TV News Readers has risen by six points and trust in journalists remains at its highest point in 39 years. Fifty-eight per cent say they trust TV News Readers to tell them the truth, up from 52% in 2021. Twenty-nine per cent of the public now trust journalists, very close to the 28% score of 2021 but a record high in the near 40-year history of the poll – however they remain in the five least trusted professions in Britain

Trust in trade union officials has also risen this year. Forty-eight per cent 48% of the public say they trust this group to tell the truth, an increase of 4 point since 2021. Since 1983 trust in this profession has now risen by 30 percentage points.