Netherlands residents have less trust in others, especially among lower education levels

People living in the Netherlands are generally satisfied with their own lives, but their trust in others is declining. This decline is most evident among people with lower education levels or who earn lower incomes. And that is a manifestation of inequality, the Netherlands Institute for Social Research said in its not-yet-published Social and Cultural Developments 2026 report, seen by NRC.

Between 2024 and 2025, 61 percent of Netherlands residents responded “yes” when asked whether they trust most people, down from 69 percent in the period between 2021 and 2022. The decline is worrying, but not a new development.

What the SCP is very concerned about is the growing gap between people with higher education and incomes and people with lower education and incomes. Of the lower educated, only 47 percent believe that most people can be trusted, compared to 73 percent of highly educated people. Among low-income earners, 50 percent find others trustworthy, compared to 68 percent of high-income earners.

“We see across the board that people from lower income groups or those with, for example, only primary education as their highest level of education, have less trust,” SCP researcher Roel Willems told the newspaper. This is due to several factors. People in these population groups tend to live in more vulnerable neighborhoods, where the crime rate may be higher, for example. They also tend to have a less positive outlook on life. “This also contributes to lower mutual trust.” People in these groups also feel less connected to their neighborhoods.

The SCP stressed that a lack of trust is a form of inequality, and it demonstrates that income support alone is not enough to combat this. “At the SCP, we want to continue emphasizing this: inequality isn’t just about whether someone has money, a large house, or less to spend: it’s also about non-material matters, and a lack of trust is one of them.”

The SCP report also urges the new government to do something about the growing distrust in politics. This trust is low across the board, with Nehtelrands residents rating parliament a 5.2 out of 10, on average. The Dutch consider politics “unresponsive” and unable to understand citizens’ concerns. They also have little confidence that the government can adequately solve problems. This negative view is shared across income and education levels.

“This lack of trust has been going on for a while,” Willems said. “As a government, you have to create realistic expectations. Politicians have made major mistakes in this regard in recent years.”