Trust in science has long been one of the UK’s quiet strengths: a stable foundation beneath political cycles, economic shifts, and moments of national crisis. At first glance, that foundation still appears reassuringly solid. Headline indicators continue to show that the public broadly trusts science and believes it plays a positive role in society. But look more closely, and a more complex and unsettled landscape comes into view; one shaped by shifting values, deepening social divides, and a decades-long erosion of trust in institutions of every kind.

This report, produced in partnership with Wellcome, is designed to help. It offers a lens through which the scientific community can better understand the public’s values, concerns, and expectations, and act in ways that earn trust across all segments of society. The goal is not simply to prevent trust from declining, but to strengthen the relationship between science and society for the future.