PENSIONERS, small businesses and working people are being treated unfairly compared with big business and high-income earners, a survey of the British public has found.

The Ipsos poll found many felt that pensioners (59 per cent) and small businesses (50 per cent) were being treated unfairly by government.

Meanwhile 54 per cent believed that big businesses and those with high incomes were treated better than they deserved.  

About four in 10 also believed the media was unfairly treating people on benefits, young people and immigrants, according to the poll of 1,085 adults conducted in mid-November.

Ipsos senior director of British politics Gideon Skinner said: “The two groups who are most felt to get a better deal than they deserve in all spheres are people on high incomes and big business — suggesting Britons still feel there is unequal treatment in our system.

“More broadly, the public are also worried over the way the government is treating working people generally, small businesses, and people like them, and young people, immigrants and people on benefits join the list when thinking about unfair treatment from the media or the British public at large.”

The poll found that half of Britons also felt farmers were being treated unfairly by government and would support them if they decided to strike.

This mirrored the levels of support for nurses and ambulance workers, both at 56 per cent.

Mr Skinner said there was a “clear sense that farmers are being unfairly treated by the British government,” with only pensioners more likely to be seen as getting a bad deal after Labour axed the universal winter fuel allowance.