Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2025 (BSA)
Think tank: The King’s Fund
Author(s): Various authors
March 25, 2026
This report from UK think tank The King’s Fund examines the results from the British Social Attitudes survey.
This report presents findings from the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey on public satisfaction with the NHS and social care, jointly sponsored by The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust.
After several years of decline, overall satisfaction with the NHS rose in 2025 to 26%, a statistically significant increase of six percentage points from the previous year. Dissatisfaction also fell sharply. However, satisfaction remains historically low, with only around one in four people expressing a positive view, and optimism about future NHS performance at its lowest level since the question was first asked.
The report shows that satisfaction with individual NHS services such as general practice, A&E and dentistry remains close to historic lows, with no statistically significant improvements year on year. Waiting times and staffing levels continue to be major concerns, with large majorities dissatisfied with access to care and believing there are not enough staff. While public support for the founding principles of the NHS remains strong, belief that these principles should “definitely” apply has weakened over time, particularly among younger people and certain political groups.
In contrast to the modest improvement in NHS perceptions, satisfaction with social care remains extremely low at 14%, with no clear sign of recovery. Although dissatisfaction has eased slightly, the public continues to view social care as underfunded, difficult to access and in need of reform.
The report concludes that while NHS satisfaction may have stabilised, any recovery is fragile, and without visible improvements in access, workforce capacity and social care, public confidence is unlikely to be restored.
