People in the UK are warming to nuclear power – despite the Fukushima disaster.

A new survey shows that Britons are less worried about nuclear power now than they were last year, before an earthquake and tsunami hit the Japanese plant.

The poll was conducted in August, five months after reactors at the nuclear plant went into meltdown resulting in the release of radioactive material.

It revealed that British attitudes towards nuclear power have softened over the last decade – and the trend has continued since Fukushima.

In 2005, previous research showed that 59 per cent of the UK population was “fairly or very concerned” about nuclear power. This proportion dropped to 54 per cent last year, and it now stands at 47 per cent, according to the new online poll of 2,050 adults. Meanwhile the percentage of those listed as being “not very or not at all” concerned has shown a steady increase from 38 per cent in 2005, to 42 per cent last year and 45 per cent today. The number agreeing that the benefits of nuclear outweigh the risks has also risen, from 32 per cent to 38 per cent and 41 per cent over the same time period. Those with the opposite view have shrunk from 41 per cent in 2005 to 36 per cent in 2010 and 28 per cent this year. The new survey was conducted by Populus for the British Science Festival, taking place in Bradford this week. Nuclear expert Professor Bob Cywinski, from the University of Huddersfield, said people today were more worried about energy supply than nuclear risk. “It’s really what’s going to happen when the lights go out that’s making people more sanguine about nuclear,” he said.

Professor Nick Pidgeon, from the University of Cardiff, pointed out that different groups of people had very different views of nuclear power. The survey showed that 53 per cent of men were pro-nuclear compared with just 21 per cent of women. Those in higher socio-economic groups and aged over 55 were also more supportive of nuclear power.