New Sutton Trust research on the impact of accents on social mobility finds pervasive accent bias

Accents act as a barrier to social mobility, according to new research published by the Sutton Trust today. The report examines the impact that someone’s accent has on their journey through education and into the workplace, based on the experiences of sixth-formers, university students and professionals.

The research – by academics from the Accent Bias in Britain project – finds that 30% of university students and 29% of university applicants (largely 17-18 year olds) report being mocked, criticised or singled out in educational settings as a result of their accents, and 25% of professionals report the same in work settings.

These experiences are particularly prevalent for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who report significantly more mocking or singling out in workplace or social settings. Over a quarter (29%) of senior managers from working class families said they had been mocked or criticised in the workplace for their accent, vs 22% of those from better off backgrounds.

Throughout their lives, people have concerns about their accents and how their accent may impact on future success. Nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents reported concerns that their accent could affect their ability to succeed, with 33% of university students, 19% of employees and 18% of university applicants saying this.

For professionals in the workplace, these worries were more pronounced for those from working-class backgrounds. 21% of those in senior managerial roles from lower socio-economic backgrounds were worried their accent could affect their ability to succeed in the future, compared to 12% from better-off families.

29% of university applicants from the North were concerned that their accent could affect their ability to succeed compared to 10% of those in the South, excluding London.  And for those at universities it was 41% compared to 19%.

The study also collected testimonials on experiences of accent bias and anxiety. Many respondents reported pressure to change their accent against their wishes. According to the researchers, this adds a cognitive and a social burden to particular groups who have to distance themselves from their own communities, exacerbating pressures on those that might be also facing disadvantages of other kinds.

Speaking Up looks at a range of different accents and perceptions of these according to the prestige of the accent. According to the research, Received Pronunciation (sometimes known as ‘Queen’s English’ or ‘BBC English’), French-accented English, and ‘national’ standard varieties (Scottish, American, Southern Irish) all rank highly, while accents associated with industrial cities of England, like Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham (commonly stereotyped as ‘working class accents’) and ethnic minority accents (Afro-Caribbean, Indian) are the lowest ranked.

BBC English remains the dominant accent in positions of authority across society, including in the media, politics, and the corporate sector. This is despite the fact that less than 10% of the population have this accent, and they come almost exclusively from higher socio-economic backgrounds.

Today’s research highlights the clear link between accents, socioeconomic background and social mobility. In order to address accent bias, today’s report recommends that action should be taken to diversify the workplace so that there is a range of accents within the organisation.

Researchers also advise that young people worried about their accent should focus on communicating confidently, rather than changing their accent to fit in.

Sir Peter Lampl, Founder and Chairman of the Sutton Trust and Chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, said:

“Today’s research provides new evidence on the major role that accents play in social mobility. It is disgraceful that people are mocked, criticised or singled out for their accents throughout their education, work and social lives.  A hierarchy of accent prestige is entrenched in British society with BBC English being the dominant accent of those in positions of authority.  This is despite the fact that less than 10% of the population have this accent.

“Self-consciousness and anxiety about accent bias are present at all stages of life.  For instance of those in senior managerial roles, 22% from lower socio-economic backgrounds were worried that their accent could affect their ability to succeed, in comparison to 12% from better-off families.

“In order to address accent bias, today’s report recommends that action should be taken to diversify the workplace so that there is a range of accents within the organisation.”

Professor Devyani Sharma from Queen Mary University London, author of the report, said: 

“Our work shows that a long-standing hierarchy of accent prestige in Britain is still in place. Accent-based discrimination actively disadvantages certain groups at key junctures for social mobility, such as job interviews. This creates a negative cycle, whereby regional, working class, and minority ethnic accents are heard less in some careers or positions of authority, reinforcing anxiety and marginalisation for those speakers.

It is natural for people to associate accents with social groups, but relying on accent stereotypes to judge professional ability in this way is discriminatory. Indeed, accent bias often becomes a proxy for discrimination against characteristics protected under the Equality Act. Fortunately, our work has also shown that recruiters can disregard accent when alerted to the problem in training, and also when candidates speak confidently and knowledgeably, regardless of their accent. In this way, both listeners and speakers can start to tackle accent-based discrimination.

NOTES TO EDITORS

  • The Sutton Trust was founded by Sir Peter Lampl in 1997 to improve social mobility in Britain.  The Trust has influenced government policy on more than 30 occasions; its programmes have to date given 50,000 young people the opportunity to change their lives; and it has published over 250 pieces of agenda-setting research.
  • 511 university applicants (largely 17-18 year olds) were surveyed by Savanta, with responses weighted by gender and school type (fee-paying or other). 1,029 university students were surveyed by Savanta through their Youth Omnibus, with responses weighted by gender, year of degree and university type (Russell Group, post-1992, specialist). 1,014 early-career professionals were surveyed by Savanta through their Young Professional Omnibus (largely 21-24 year olds), with responses weighted by gender and year graduated. 1,002 later career professionals were surveyed by YouGov via their Decision-Makers Omnibus, with responses weighted by gender, age, region and socio-economic group. All surveys were carried out across the UK.
  • More detailed quantitative surveys, with qualitative analysis of testimonials, were carried out with 27 sixth form students, 178 university students, 81 school teachers and 36 lawyers from across the UK, with surveys distributed through schools, sixth forms, universities and law firms.
  • The Savanta and YouGov surveys were conducted in May 2022. The testimonial surveys were conducted between May 2021 and May 2022.