42% of Britons don’t trust financial institutions

By Maged Omran and Mary Stock

Our recent survey on financial confidence highlighted how the public were coping in an era of uncertainty. But beyond their immediate circumstances, do the public feel they can turn to banks, building societies, and other institutions when things go wrong? 

Do Britons trust financial institutions in 2026?

YouGov Surveys data shows that 53% of Britons trust financial institutions, while 42% do not. Trust falls slightly among 18-34s (50% vs. 40%) and particularly those aged 35-54 (49% vs.  45%), but it rises considerably among over 55s (57% vs. 39%).

A majority for trust, but a sizable minority are less trusting. Could this be related to a lack of outreach from institutions? We asked Britons if they had had proactive contact from institutions in the six months since October 2025, and while 48% said yes, 39% said no.

Do consumers find outreach from financial institutions valuable?

Of those who did receive outreach, 52% said it was not valuable, while 45% said it was. 

When those who did not consider this outreach valuable were asked for their reasons why it did not land, over half said it felt automated or impersonal (54%) or that it felt more promotional than supportive (53%). Two in five said it felt irrelevant to their personal situation (38%), and one in nine said it did not address their primary concerns (11%).

When asked what might have made outreach better, a third said access to a knowledgeable person (33%) – which might ameliorate concerns about the outreach being impersonal – and a quarter said clearer explanations of how economic changes personally affect them would help (23%). 

Methodology

YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on May 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 2,123 dults (aged 16+ years) in Great Britain, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in Great Britain (16 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.