This document discusses engaging the public as partners rather than victims in government and public services. It notes that while the public are critical of politicians and bureaucracy, they ultimately support an "enabling state". However, trends show declining volunteering and civic participation. The public have mixed views of different providers, seeing charities as caring but questioning their skills. Trusted public servants could help engagement. Leaders need to do more to earn the public's respect rather than blame a lack of it.

1. From Victims to Partners...
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2. From victims to partners – engaging
the public
Ben Page, Chief Executive, Ipsos MORI
ben.page@ipsos.com

3. Many think government has done too much...
Q Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the
following statement.
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree
In recent years government
and public services have tried
to do too much, and people 31% 33% 13% 7%
should take more responsibility
for their own lives (Base: 512)
I am worried that government
and public services will do too
19% 31% 19% 8%
little to help people in the years
ahead (Base: 490)
Base: 1,002 adults in Great Britain aged 16+. Split sample between the two statements.
Fieldwork dates: 13-19 May 2010 Source: Ipsos MORI

4. Trust in politicians low, but...
Q To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following
statements?
% Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree
When it comes to the quality of
local services it is time we
stopped blaming the politicians 14 38 26 14
and started making the effort to
sort things out for ourselves
Society is not run to help people 11 31 35 12
like me
In general, the people in charge
know best 4 27 39 26
Base: All adults aged 15+ (1,001), fieldwork dates: 19 August – 25 August 2011 Source: Ipsos MORI

5. But ultimately the
public support the
“enabling state”,
the “nanny state”
and even the
“nudging” state

6. So far trends in wrong direction
Proportion who have given any unpaid help to non-relatives in the last 12 months
Base: All valid responses from core sample in England (~8,000 surveyed per wave) Source: Citizenship Survey

7. Volunteering and giving on a downward slide - can
explain by background characteristics…
England
% of
respondents
Informal volunteering
in last 12 months
Formal volunteering in
last 12 months
IMD Deciles (England)
Base: England c.8,700 adults aged 16+ (Citizenship Study 2009/10)

8. General support for
greater involvement
from the voluntary
sector – especially in
non-core services

9. Mixed views of private sector involvement - and low
awareness of voluntary/charity sector capabilities
Private sector seen as efficient by some
– But concerns about the impact of the profit motive
Low awareness and misunderstanding of third sector
role
– Do they have the right skills?
– Can volunteers really provide services?
With the best will in the world, a A lot of services would obviously be better
voluntary person is not as skilful if there was competition…but there has got
at the job as someone who was to be certain services that are provided no
employed and paid to do the matter what and don’t work for a profit,
job, we would hope anyway. they have a conscience.
Male, 65+, Kent Female, 16-24, London
Source: Ipsos MORI/2020 Public Services Trust, 2010

10. Two in five don’t mind who provides health
services as long as they are free of charge
Q To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
“As long as health services are free of charge, it doesn’t matter to me whether
they are provided by the NHS or a private company”
Don’t know
Strongly agree
Strongly disagree 2%
13%
16% 41%
36%
Tend to disagree 20% 28% Tend to agree
Neither agree nor disagree 20%
Base: 993 English adults 18+, interviewed face-to-face, 18-24 February, 2011 Source: Ipsos MORI /Nuffield Trust

11. Charities and not for profits are top-of-mind for
care 11
Some charities and some private companies receive funding from government to
provide certain public services, such as healthcare services, care for the elderly,
services for disabled people etc. Other public services are provided directly by
public authorities such as the NHS or local councils. Of these three types of
service provider, which one do you think would be BEST at…
% Charities / NFP orgs % Private companies % Public authorities % Don't know
Providing a caring and
53 11 18 17
compassionate service
Understanding what 37 16 30 17
service users need
Base: 1,001 British adults, 20-26 November 2009 Source: Ipsos MORI

12. Attitudes to best provider for quality of service are
more mixed 12
Some charities and some private companies receive funding from government to
provide certain public services, such as healthcare services, care for the elderly,
services for disabled people etc. Other public services are provided directly by
public authorities such as the NHS or local councils. Of these three types of
service provider, which one do you think would be BEST at…
% Charities / NFP orgs % Private companies % Public authorities % Don't know
Providing the best quality
29 27 25 20
of service for the money
Providing a professional
21 29 30 19
and reliable service
Base: 1,001British adults, 20-26 November 2009 Source: Ipsos MORI

13. …and charities / NFPs do need to fit into context of
wider service provision 13
Some charities and some private companies receive funding from government to
provide certain public services, such as healthcare services, care for the elderly,
services for disabled people etc. Other public services are provided directly by
public authorities such as the NHS or local councils. Of these three types of
service provider, which one do you think would be BEST at…
% Charities / NFP orgs % Private companies % Public authorities % Don't know
Deciding exactly what
type of service should 25 16 39 20
be provided
Base: 1,001British adults, 20-26 November 2009 Source: Ipsos MORI

14. Need to engage trusted public servants...
Q. “For each, would you tell me whether you generally trust them to tell the truth
or not?”
% Not trust % Trust
Doctors 8 88
Teachers 12 81
Professors 11110 74
Judges 17 72
Scientists 17 71
Clergyman/Priests 20 68
The Police 27 63
Television News Readers 26 62
Social workers 25 60
The ordinary man/woman in 25 55
Civil Servants 34 47
Managers in the NHS 45 40
Pollsters 37 39
Trade Union officials 46 34
Local councillors 57 31
Business Leaders 55 29
Bankers 62 29
Managers in local government 57 26
Journalists 70 19
Government Ministers 74 17
Politicians generally 80 14
Base: 1,026 United Kingdom adults aged 15+, 10-16 June 2011 Source: Ipsos MORI/BMA

15. What the CJS said to the public under Labour
Q. Which of these phrases best describes the way you would speak about the
Criminal Justice System as a whole?
% Be critical % Speak highly
Overall 32% 19%
Crown court 21% 26%
CPS 24% 26%
Probation 26% 24%
Magistrates’ courts 28% 19%
Prisons 44% 10%
Police 49% 10%
Source: Ipsos MORI, 2006
Base: Wave 4 All staff within CJS agencies (2,402). Fieldwork: 1st June – 12th July 2006

16. Similarly, medical professionals got better paid and put
the boot into the NHS
Critical Favourable
Doctors 70% 3%
GPs 71% 7%
Practice nurses 47% 15%
Hospital nurses 42% 10%
NHS senior clinical managers 40% 23%

17. Finally - leaders or led??
Q Which of the following do you think is the bigger problem in
Britain today?
The public don’t respect 40%
people in authority enough
People in authority haven’t
done enough to deserve the 43%
public’s respect
Neither 13%
Don’t know 4%
Base: All adults aged 15+ (1,001), fieldwork dates: 19 August – 25 August 2011 Source: Ipsos MORI

18. Partners not Victims
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