Less than half of Scots trust Government to do right by country, report finds

A new report has warned of a “clear decline in trust” in the Scottish Government since the dawn of devolution, with less than half of respondents saying it acts in the country’s best interests.

The Scottish Social Attitudes survey, published by the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) on Thursday, found 47% of Scots trust the Scottish Government to do what is right for Scotland, down from 61% in 2019, and down from 81% when devolution began in 1999.

The survey, 25 Years Of Devolution In Scotland: Public Attitudes And Reaction, also found 38% of respondents believe the Government is good at listening to the public before making decisions, the lowest since 2006.

The statistics on trust in the Scottish Government are from research in 2023, with other data coming from 2024. They were compared with figures from previous years, as far back as 1999.

Satisfaction with the NHS has fallen to 22%, which ScotCen says is comparable with the rest of Britain. This follows a 2023 finding in which 69% of people questioned said they felt the standard of the health service had declined.

ScotCen said this represents the lowest level of satisfaction and the highest perception of a decline in standards since the time series began in 1999.

In 2024, around two in five adults in Scotland (41%) said they were living comfortably or doing alright financially, while around one in four (24%) reported they were really struggling.

Most people in Scotland continued to identify as Scottish, though the 74% saying in 2024 that it was at least one of their identities was a reduction from 84% who said so in 1999.

Despite trust in the Scottish Government having reduced, support for independence is at 47%, up from 27% in 1999.

Paul Bradshaw, director of ScotCen, said: “The Scottish Social Attitudes survey provides a unique and incredibly valuable time series for monitoring trends and understanding public attitudes, to help support and develop effective policies and identify Government priorities.

“These latest results show a clear decline in trust in the Scottish Government, alongside continued concern about public services and the economy.

“While Scots remain strongly attached to their Scottish identity, our data suggest that confidence in political institutions is under pressure, a finding that will be important for policymakers and the public alike.”

In an extract from the report’s conclusion, co-authors Sophie Birtwistle and Sir John Curtice wrote: “So far as public opinion is concerned, devolution has not turned out in the way that either its advocates or its critics anticipated when the Scottish Parliament first met on July 1, 1999.

“On the one hand, it has not resulted in any long-term marked decline in Scots’ willingness to acknowledge a British identity or in any marked divergence of attitudes and values between Scotland and England.

“On the other hand, far from persuading Scots of the merits of being part of the UK, the decision to put the independence question to voters in 2014 occasioned a marked long-term increase in support for leaving the UK.

“Yet, at the same time, although support for independence may now be higher, it is still a long way from looking like a ‘settled will’ in the way that, by 1999, the idea of Scotland having its own Parliament appeared to be.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “I am pleased to see this survey’s recognition of a long-term increase in support for Scotland becoming an independent country.

“The fresh start of independence is crucial if we are to raise living standards, grow the economy, and shape a fairer, more prosperous future.

“The data suggests that trust in the Scottish Government is on a level with governments elsewhere but we are determined to do more.

“Much of this data was collected up to two years ago. Since then the Scottish Government has made considerable progress to deliver on the people of Scotland’s priorities – including abolishing peak rail fares, confirming plans to deliver winter heating support for pensioners and taking action to improve our NHS, including investing record funding of £21.7 billion for health and social care this year”