* In the survey, participants were asked "have you ever done any of these things about a government action which you thought was unjust and harmful?". Participants were given the following options:
Contact my MP or MSP
Speak to an influential person
Contact a government department
Contact radio, TV or a newspaper
Sign a petition
Raise the issue in an organisation I already belong to
Go on a protest or demonstration
Form a group of like-minded people
None of these
The figures here are for those respondents who chose "none of these" as their answer.
**Number of respondents: 2011: n = 2,198 (weighted) 2002: n = 2,285 (weighted) 1991: n = 1,422 (weighted) 1983: n = 533 (weighted)
This statistic shows the percentage of people who did not engage in any non-electoral political activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011. In 2011, this was 55 percent of respondents.This meamparing the figures for the entire 28 year psure of political apathy shows an increase from 1991 to 2011. When coeriod, however, we see a 7 percent decrease.
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NatCen. (September 2, 2013). Political apathy: Percentage of people who did not engage in any non-electoral political activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011* [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 25, 2026, from /statistics/285865/political-apathy-in-great-britain/
NatCen. "Political apathy: Percentage of people who did not engage in any non-electoral political activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011*." Chart. September 2, 2013. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 25, 2026. /statistics/285865/political-apathy-in-great-britain/
NatCen. (2013). Political apathy: Percentage of people who did not engage in any non-electoral political activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011*. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 25, 2026. /statistics/285865/political-apathy-in-great-britain/
NatCen. "Political Apathy: Percentage of People Who Did Not Engage in Any Non-electoral Political Activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011*." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 2 Sep 2013, /statistics/285865/political-apathy-in-great-britain/
NatCen, Political apathy: Percentage of people who did not engage in any non-electoral political activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011* ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/285865/political-apathy-in-great-britain/ (last visited July 25, 2026)
Political apathy: Percentage of people who did not engage in any non-electoral political activities in Great Britain from 1983 to 2011* [Graph], NatCen, September 2, 2013. [Online]. Available: /statistics/285865/political-apathy-in-great-britain/