Trust in bankers returns

Doctors are the most trusted profession, while hairdressers make it into the top five, according to the Ipsos Mori research.

The public’s trust in bankers has risen by 8% since 2011, but they are still less trusted than builders.

Teachers, judges and scientists complete the top five most trusted professions.

Results showed the younger generation - those born between 1980 and 2000 - are more likely to trust Government ministers, business leaders, estate agents and NHS managers than their elders.

But they are 12% less likely to trust the man or woman in the street than those in the next generation up.

The level of trust in pollsters appeared to have been unaffected by failures in the opinion polls in the run-up to the 2015 general election, results showed, remaining at 53%.

Bobby Duffy, director of the Social Research Institute, said: “All generations have increased their level of trust - which is encouraging and important.

“We saw a big dip in trust in other people following the terrorist attacks in 2001, but we’re not seeing the same impact from recent terrorist activity.”

Politicians have failed to make any significant increases in trust in the three decades since the polls have been taken.

“Public trust in politicians remains steadfastly low, at the very bottom of the list of professions alongside journalists, Government ministers and estate agents.

“But it’s good to remind ourselves that this is not a ‘new crisis of trust’ - from this long-running survey we can see that public trust has been an issue for politicians for at least the past 33 years.”