Which party do voters trust most on the NHS?

Labour still leads on NHS trust despite its current polling difficulties. A May 2026 Savanta poll found 28% trusted Labour most on the NHS, compared to 16% for the Conservatives and 14% for Reform UK. However, Labour's NHS lead has narrowed substantially from the 20-point advantage it held in 2022, reflecting dissatisfaction with waiting list performance since taking office.

Which party leads on immigration?

Reform UK leads significantly on immigration. A May 2026 YouGov poll found 34% named Reform as the party best able to handle immigration, compared to 14% for the Conservatives and only 8% for Labour. Reform's dominance on immigration reflects the salience of the issue and Nigel Farage's long association with it as a political priority.

Which party leads on the economy?

No party holds a clear lead on economic management. A May 2026 poll found 20% trusted the Conservatives most on the economy, 19% Labour, and 17% Reform UK — a statistical tie. This collapse of the Conservative economic lead (which averaged 15-20 points over Labour for most of 2010-2019) is one of the most dramatic polling shifts of the decade.

How does issue trust translate into voting intention in UK polling?

The relationship is most direct on immigration: the 38% who trust Reform UK on immigration closely tracks their 26-28% voting intention, with immigration-primary voters following their issue trust closely. On the NHS, Labour leads strongly at 41% despite polling at only 18-27% in VI, because many soft Lib Dem and Conservative voters still trust Labour institutionally on health while voting elsewhere. Climate trust for the Greens at 34% similarly exceeds their 8% VI, because most climate-concerned voters weigh other issues at the ballot box.

Party Comparison Tool — May 2026

UK Party Comparison: 6 Parties vs 8 Key Issues

Q: Which party has made the biggest gains in issue trust since the 2024 election?

Reform UK has made the biggest gains, rising from single-digit immigration trust before 2024 to leading at 38% in May 2026. The Greens have made significant gains on climate trust, rising from around 17% in 2024 to 34% in 2026, as Labour climate action disappointed green-leaning voters. The Conservatives have lost the most ground, surrendering immigration trust to Reform UK while their economic trust lead has narrowed from 15 points to near-zero.

Q: Why do the Greens lead on climate trust at 34% but poll at only 8% in voting intention?

Climate trust does not translate directly into voting intention because most climate-concerned voters also rank cost of living, the NHS, and housing as equally or more important when choosing how to vote. Many voters who name the Greens as the most trusted party on climate ultimately vote Labour, Lib Dem, or tactically for whoever can best defeat the Conservatives in their constituency. Under First Past the Post, issue trust and vote share routinely diverge.

Which party do voters trust on the NHS, economy, immigration and more? Side-by-side polling data for every major party.

NHS

Labour leads 41%

Immigration

Reform leads 38%

Defence

Conservatives 29%

Climate

Greens lead 34%

Issue Trust Table: All Parties vs 8 Key Issues

May 2026 composite polls

Polling question: “Which party do you trust most to handle [issue]?” Composite of YouGov, Ipsos and Survation, April–May 2026. GB-wide. Bold = polling leader on that issue.

Issue	Labour	Conservatives	Reform UK	Lib Dems	Greens	SNP	None/DK
NHS & Health	41%	14%	12%	13%	9%	2%	9%
Economy & Growth	28%	25%	22%	9%	3%	1%	12%
Immigration	22%	16%	38%	8%	4%	1%	11%
Housing & Planning	29%	18%	16%	20%	11%	1%	5%
Cost of Living	30%	17%	21%	13%	10%	1%	8%
Climate & Energy	22%	12%	6%	22%	34%	2%	2%
Defence & Security	24%	29%	25%	10%	4%	1%	7%
Education & Skills	35%	16%	13%	16%	11%	2%	7%

Source: YouGov, Ipsos, Survation composite. April–May 2026. GB-wide.

Radar Chart: Party Issue Profiles

Each party shown across all 8 key issues. A larger web indicates broader issue strength. Labour dominates NHS and education, Reform UK owns immigration, the Greens spike on climate.

Issue Leader Summary

Labour Leads

NHS & Health — 41%
Education & Skills — 35%
Cost of Living — 30%
Housing & Planning — 29%

Labour’s dominance on the NHS and education reflects traditional strengths — but economic trust is eroding fast.

Reform UK Leads

Immigration — 38%

Reform UK owns immigration by a massive margin. On every other issue they are competitive (economy: 22%, defence: 25%) but not dominant — yet. Their single-issue dominance converts directly into VI share.

Conservatives Lead

Defence & Security — 29%

Defence is the Conservatives’ last clear issue-ownership position. They are competitive on economy (25%) but Reform UK presses hard. Their collapse on NHS and immigration trust is the biggest change since 2019.

Greens Lead

Climate & Energy — 34%

The Greens own climate by a wide margin. On every other issue they score single digits. Their rise to 8% VI is almost entirely climate-concerned, left-of-Labour voters.

Lib Dems

Housing & Planning — 20% (joint)

The Lib Dems lack a single dominant issue. Their VI strength at 14% comes from tactical votes in southern constituencies rather than issue ownership.

Biggest Polling Lead

+16pp

Reform UK’s lead over Labour on immigration (38% vs 22%) is the largest single-issue margin of any party in UK polling.

Analysis: What the Issue Map Tells Us

Labour’s Soft Underbelly

Labour’s issue map looks strong on the surface: leading NHS (41%), education (35%), cost of living (30%). But the economy lead is only 3 points over the Conservatives. If that inverts, Labour faces a structural problem. Voters who trust a party on the NHS but not the economy historically split their vote or stay home.

Reform UK’s Monetisation of Immigration

No party in modern British polling has turned single-issue dominance into a 26% VI rating as efficiently as Reform UK. Their 38% on immigration — 16 points clear of Labour — converts directly because immigration-primary voters back Reform regardless of their views on the NHS or climate.

Conservatives Without Ownership

The Conservatives’ 2024 collapse left them with one clear issue: defence (29%). They have surrendered immigration to Reform UK, NHS and education to Labour, and climate to the Greens. Defence alone cannot rebuild a winning coalition. Kemi Badenoch must recapture economy trust from both Labour and Reform.

The Green–LD Climate Rivalry

The Greens (34%) and Lib Dems (22%) are fighting for the same climate-concerned voter pool. The Greens win on issue ownership; the Lib Dems win on electability in many constituencies. This rivalry may split the progressive vote in swing seats, ultimately benefiting Labour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which party do UK voters trust most overall across all issues?

It depends on the issue. Labour leads on NHS (41%), education (35%) and cost of living (30%). Reform UK dominates on immigration (38%). The Conservatives lead on defence (29%). The Greens lead on climate (34%). No single party leads across all issues — the 2026 polling landscape is unusually fragmented.

Which issue do voters care about most?

The economy (62% name it a top issue) and immigration (54%) are the top two issues by salience in May 2026 polling. NHS follows at approximately 52%, with cost of living at 47%. Climate and defence have risen significantly since 2023.

How does issue trust translate into voting intention?

Voters who prioritise immigration overwhelmingly back Reform UK — making immigration trust the single most direct pathway from issue ownership to vote share. The most elastic voters are those who prioritise the economy: currently split between Labour, Conservatives and Reform UK.

Which party has made the biggest gains in issue trust since 2024?

Reform UK has made the biggest gains overall, rising from single-digit immigration trust before 2024 to leading at 38% in May 2026. The Greens have made the most significant gains on a single issue, with climate trust rising from 17% in 2024 to 34% in 2026 as Labour climate action disappointed green-leaning voters. The Conservatives have lost the most ground, surrendering immigration trust entirely to Reform UK while their historic economic trust lead has narrowed from 15 points over Labour to near-zero.

Why does Reform UK lead on immigration but not on other issues?

Reform UK has built its identity as the immigration-primary party since 2019, with Nigel Farage making border control the centrepiece of every campaign. Voters who name immigration as their top issue overwhelmingly vote Reform UK, producing a direct trust-to-vote translation. On other issues — NHS, economy, housing — Reform UK has no comparable record or positioning, and voters default to the established parties for institutional credibility even when dissatisfied with their performance.

Why do the Greens lead on climate trust at 34% but poll at only 8% in voting intention?

Most climate-concerned voters rank cost of living, NHS access, and housing as equally or more important when choosing how to vote. Under First Past the Post, many Green-leaning voters also vote tactically for Lib Dems or Labour to block Conservatives in marginal seats, further suppressing the Green vote share below their issue trust level. The divergence between 34% climate trust and 8% voting intention is one of the most striking gaps in UK polling — a structural consequence of FPTP rewarding geographical concentration over diffuse support.

Explore Individual Party Trackers

Labour

VI: 27% — NHS & education leader

Reform UK

VI: 26% — Immigration dominant

Conservatives

VI: 23% — Defence lead

Lib Dems

VI: 14% — Housing competitive

Greens

VI: 8% — Climate leader

Polling History

All VI data since 2019

Video: Further Analysis

Video: Direct comparison of UK party polling data — how Reform UK, Labour, Conservatives, Greens and Lib Dems are positioned heading into the next electoral cycle.