CYP Now - Speaking up: Accents and Social Mobility

Researchers explore the role accents play as young people move through education into the workplace.

The report authors argue “accent bias” should be seen as an important equality and diversity issue. Picture: Highwaystarz/Adobe Stock

Full report Speaking up: Accents and Social Mobility

Report authors Erez Levon, Devyani Sharma, Christian Ilbury

Published by Sutton Trust, November 2022

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The range of accents in the UK is among the most diverse in the English-speaking world. These include “traditional” accents like brummie, cockney, geordie or scouse, the standard accent known as received pronunciation or “the Queen's English”, and newer accents such as “estuary English” and “general northern English”. Accents have long been associated with class and social status and there is evidence to suggest they can hold people back with employers and others making judgments about someone's intelligence or ability based on the way they speak. Researchers from the Accent Bias in Britain project wanted to explore the role accents play as young people move through education into the workplace.

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