UK integrity crisis: 1/3 trust officials

Edelman's Trust Barometer found in a survey that only 29 percent of people believe the government is following the right policies, while trust in MPs has fallen to a mere four percent.

"There is a chasm between the public's expectations of government and what they think is actually being delivered. The vast majority [68 per cent] think the country is on the wrong track," Edelman's director Ed Williams said.

The study also found trust in businesses is only 38 percent with non-governmental organizations faring no better than 42 percent in public trust.

The findings seen in the context of another study reveal people have good reason to lose trust in politicians and others as the society is gripped in a crisis of dishonesty.

The Essex University found that the British society now easily tolerates breaches of honesty codes ranging from lying, having an affair and having underage sex to buying stolen goods.

The research showed only 50 percent of people think having an extra-marital affair is never justified compared with 70 percent in 2000.

Lying on a job application was also found to be fine with many people while only 20 percent said picking up money, that is not yours, for example on the streets, would be never justified.

The researchers said the responses did not vary significantly in terms of social class, educational background and income level.

However, they found age as a determining factor with younger people more prone to acts of dishonesty than the older members of the society.

The study interpreted the overall responses in terms of points and demonstrated that the under-25s scored an average 47 on an “integrity scale” while the over-65s scored an average 54.

The average was 50 when considering all age groups.

The results were especially shocking as the authors of the report said any score more than 21 suggests people simply so not believe in living by the rules.

The report also warned of grave implications for the future of Britain especially in politics.

"There are reasons to be pessimistic about this, since people tend to acquire their basic political beliefs in adolescence and these do not change very much as they grow older," the report said.

"If integrity is anything like political values, then it is likely to decline in future as the norms which sanction such behaviour weaken further. This will be more likely if new cohorts of young people learn to be even more dishonest than at present," it added.