Only a third of people trust official statistics - according to official statistics.
An Office for National Statistics (ONS) poll of more than 1,000 adults also found the majority of the public thought figures were manipulated for political purposes.
According to the research, just 36% of people believed official statistics were accurate.
And 84% said the Government twisted figures when talking about its policies.
Road casualty totals were the most reliable, with statistics on hospital waiting lists the least trustworthy, the poll revealed.
It also found that television was the most powerful source of opinion-forming media, with the internet growing in influence.
The findings were released as the ONS prepares to become independent of ministerial control.
It will become the new UK Statistics Authority, answering directly to Parliament, in a bid to boost public confidence in its role.
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