Science a source of hope when Britons have an otherwise bleak view of the country

A new report, published by More in Common and commissioned by Wellcome, shows science and innovation remain one of the strongest sources of hope for people across Britain. Overall trust in science remains high, but this is unevenly shared across society, with about a third feel it is too influenced by political and financial interests.

• Trust in science remains generally high: 84% have at least ‘some’ trust in science, 34% trust science ‘a lot’ and only 2% don’t trust science ‘at all’.
• Around a third say science is too closely linked to political causes, a concern mostly felt by ‘Dissenting Disruptors’ and ‘Traditional Conservatives’, who politically lean right-wing.
• ‘Progressive Activists’ and ‘Incrementalist Left’ – who politically lean left-wing – are over-represented among the scientists polled (65%) compared to the rest of Britain (33%).
• ‘Sceptical Scrollers’ and ‘Dissenting Disruptors’ (combined, 30% of Britons) are the most sceptical, but in all groups, more people have at least some trust in science than do not.
• 38% say there’s too much information available to know what’s true about science. 

The report comes as Wellcome explores trust in science in the UK, in recognition that the impact of research depends not only on what scientists discover, but on what people believe, understand and feel about how science impacts their everyday lives.

Unlike previous research on attitudes towards science, this new report outlines how views relate to More in Common’s previously published Seven Segments of Britain, which looks at the societal values that act as dividing lines in modern Britain. Going beyond a simple left-right political spectrum, the segments reflect deeper differences in how people relate to authority, change, community and the future.

Mark Henderson, Exec Director for Corporate Affairs & Engagement at Wellcome, said:

“While it is reassuring that science remains broadly trusted, there are warning signs in this report. To earn trust, we need to be transparent, listen to different perspectives, and demonstrate the value of science. This is especially important because our findings show that the prevailing views and values of scientists are not representative of the wider public. We have to reach beyond our own circles to engage with the whole of society.”

“As a leading philanthropic funder of research in the UK, we know the role of science in society cannot be taken for granted. Science is advancing at an astonishing pace, just as the world it seeks to serve is quickly becoming increasingly complex.”

Trust in science is generally high across Britain, with 84% having at least some trust in science and only 2% not at all. However, this varies significantly by segment. Dissenting Disruptors and Sceptical Scrollers – who typically favour dismantling institutions instead of preserving them – are the most sceptical. Even then, people in these groups who do not trust science much or at all are in the minority.

Around three in ten think science has become too closely associated with political causes, a view generally held by ‘Traditional Conservatives’ (41% agree) and Dissenting Disruptors (33%) – segments that traditionally lean right on the political spectrum. Notably, these groups are more likely to cite concerns around Covid-19 for their lost trust, alongside the perceived influence of politics and money on science. 

“When medics and scientists are looking at things, is that driven by […] what they see as an area of need in terms of research or innovation or whatever, or is that driven by politicians or government or whoever? I don't know.” Gemma from Stevenage, in the Incrementalist Left group, page 34 of the report.

Interestingly, the values and life experiences of scientists tend to skew differently to the public. In a separate poll, almost two-thirds of scientists (65%) belong to the two most politically left leaning segments – ‘Progressive Activists’ (39%) and ‘Incrementalist Left (26%) – compared to a third (33%) of Britons in the wider survey.

The report uncovers a trend of people feeling overwhelmed by the amount of scientific information, driven in part by a shifting and fragmented media landscape. Nearly four in ten believe there is too much information to know what is true about science, a common feeling among the least trusting groups – Dissenting Disruptors, Sceptical Scrollers, and Rooted Patriots.

"There was somebody on the news the other day who would've gone blind, but they've done something that would give her sight back and it's amazing […] a real pioneering miracle. I thought that when you hear things like that, you realise what more they're going to be able to do in 10, 20 years’ time with research." Margaret, from Newcastle, in the Rooted Patriots group, page 55 of the report.

The findings reveal that science is a source of optimism during an era when Britons generally have a bleak view of the country. When asked what makes them hopeful about the future, the most popular answers are all anchored in research: medical advances (31% of respondents), technology (30%) and scientific innovation (26%).

However, this view is also dependent on segment, with optimism for the future bound up in financial security and confidence in public institutions. Through demonstrating how science improves people’s lives, it can help restore a sense that change is possible. However, the inverse is also true. The findings show that earning trust in science is strongly tied to rebuilding faith in public services that those with little trust feel have failed them. 

Luke Tryl, Exec Director at More in Common, said: 

“When the word Britons are most likely to use to describe the country is ‘broken’, science emerges as a rare exception to the nation's sense of gloom. Many are optimistic about the future potential science offers to make our lives better. Unlike in some other countries, trust in science remains relatively unpolarised at a time when trust in other institutions is seemingly in free fall.”

“Yet there are real warning signs and pitfalls the scientific community needs to avoid. While outright distrust in science is low, many Britons' trust has become more lukewarm and conditional. Many worry that science has become too associated with politics, and our research shows that scientists' own worldview leans to the left of the wider public. This places a premium on scientists demonstrating diversity of political outlook, avoiding false certainty and demonstrating real transparency.”

The report sets out key recommendations for scientists, scientific organisations and policymakers, on how to better engage people across the different societal segments. This includes increasing transparency about the research process, which helps for less trusting groups, such as Dissenting Disruptors, who may not be ‘anti-science,’ but are keen to verify information themselves. Findings relating to Covid-19 show Rooted Patriots value a sense of security in chaos, though Incrementalist Left respond better to personal, first-hand accounts. 

These findings are the first in a series from Wellcome this year on trust in science. The next edition of the Wellcome Global Monitor – the world’s largest study into how people think and feel about science – will be published in the autumn.

Notes to Editors

Report
The report can be found on the More in Common website here: https://www.moreincommon.org.uk/our-work/research/britain-talks-trust-in-science/ 

Methodology
Polling in this report was conducted by More in Common, a member of the British Polling Council. 

Respondents have been weighted according to age/sex interlocked, region, 2024 General Election vote, ethnicity, and education level to be representative of the adult population of Great Britain.

The segmentation analysis employed in this report is set out in Shattered Britain, published July 2025, and available here. 

The unique dynamics of community relations in Northern Ireland means that More in Common’s segmentation does not include or apply to Northern Ireland. All polling conducted as part of the segmentation and for this piece of research was conducted in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and does not include Northern Ireland.

Most of the analysis used in the report draws on polling conducted between 1-10 November 2025, with a sample size of 4050. The report also draws on polling from:

• 14th March - 7th April 2025, N=13,464
• 13th February - 17th February 2026, N=2,018

The polling of scientists and those working in the science sector referred to in this report was conducted in March 2026, with a sample size of 142. This data was unweighted, and any statistics referred to are based on the raw sample.

Eleven focus groups were conducted for this research. Seven took place over Zoom in October 2025, while four were conducted in person in January 2026. Participants for the focus groups were recruited to be broadly representative of each segment in terms of age, gender and ethnicity.

About Wellcome 
Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health. 

About More in Common
More in Common is a think tank and research agency working to bridge the gap between policy makers and the public, helping people in Westminster to understand those voters who feel ignored or overlooked by those in power. Our British Seven segmentation provides a unique lens at understanding what the public think and why. We’ve published groundbreaking reports on a range of issues from climate and refugees to culture wars to

crime. We are a full-service research agency offering polling and focus group research and are members of the British Polling Council.