British Social Attitudes 26th Report | findings

Many people vote simply because they feel they have a 'civic duty' to do so. The 26th Report reveals that the number of people who feel that way has fallen sharply during the last two decades (to 56%). The decline in civic duty is particularly marked amongst young people and those who have little or no interest in politics.

Public support for increasing taxation and public spending is at its lowest level since the early 1980s. 39% support this, down from 62% in 1997. Only 8% support cuts. The most popular view, held by 50%, is that spending and taxation levels should stay as they are. Support for redistribution from the better off to those who are less well off has dropped markedly. This reflects a change of mood among Labour supporters, in the wake of the changed stance taken by their party.

Across nations, differences in public attitudes about the role of government reflect differences in the positions taken by the main political parties in each country. The fact that public attitudes towards the role of government vary across countries and change in ways which are consistent with changes in party platforms, supports the idea that political parties can influence public attitudes on this issue. The decline in left-wing attitudes among the British electorate between 1996 and 2006, for example, clearly suggests the influence of New Labour.

There has been a sharp decline in religious faith in Britain, while in America people are much less likely to be atheist or agnostic. Despite this difference, people in Britain and America hold similar views about the place of religion in society. Most people are pragmatic: religion has personal and social benefits, but faith should not be taken too far. From politics to private life, many domains are seen as off limits to clerical involvement. Our research also revealed that just over half of people in Britain (52%) fear that the UK is deeply divided along religious lines and are particularly concerned about Islam compared with other faiths.

People who are religious hold more traditional attitudes towards family and personal relationships.  Half of religious people believe that homosexual sex is always or almost always wrong compared with one in five of unreligious people. One in five religious people agree that it is the man's job to earn money and the woman's job to stay at home and look after the home and family compared with one in ten of the unreligious.

Britain is becoming more liberal in its views about how people live their lives.
For example, cohabitation is becoming increasingly acceptable. 45% in 2006 agreed that it 'makes no difference to children whether their parents are married to each other or just living together', up from 38% in 1998. This is because younger generations, who have more tolerant views, are replacing older, less tolerant, ones. It is also because people's views are shaped by their own experiences. Even the most traditional generations are becoming more liberal, reflecting their own experiences, or those of their children and grandchildren.

Across Europe there is widespread acceptance of 'non-traditional' family arrangements, such as having a child outside marriage. Disapproving attitudes are more common in poorer, more religious countries, and ones with lower divorce rates and lower rates of female participation in the labour force. Britain is towards the more tolerant end of the spectrum, with regards to attitudes on cohabitation and divorce. However, 38% of Britons disapprove of mothers working full time when their children are young.

Public attitudes have become more positive towards older workers and the idea of later retirement. However, when it comes to people's aspirations for themselves, only a minority (32%) want to work past 65. The proportion of people willing to work past 65 almost doubles (61%), when offered more flexible working arrangements, such as shorter working hours.

There is general public support for recent government initiatives to link lone parents' receipt of benefits to their seeking work. However, views about whether lone parents should work depend on the ages of their children. One in two people (52%) think a lone mother with a child of school age has a 'special duty' to go out to work to support her child, up from 44% in 1998. But for a lone mother with a child under school age, the proportion who think she has a 'special duty' to stay at home and look after her child has increased - from 24% in 2005 to 36% now.

Levels of concern about new technologies used in food production vary substantially across the public, with those who are less familiar with their terminology or use being the most wary. Women, people with low levels of knowledge about food technology, older people and people with fewer educational qualifications are most likely to express concern. Over half (55%) of people with no qualifications have a high level of concern, compared with less than a third (30%) of graduates.

The last decade has seen a hardening of view about cannabis, most likely reflecting increased concern about its dangers; in 2001, 46% thought it should be illegal, rising to 58% now. There is only limited support for increasing the price of alcohol to encourage people to drink less. Opposition to this is highest among men, the young and frequent drinkers. There is no evidence that poorer groups oppose these measures any more than wealthier ones.