The Growing Case for Legal Protection of Regional Accents

Calls are mounting for regional accents and social deprivation to be recognised as protected characteristics under UK law.

Mary Prior KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, highlighted the bias faced by professionals with regional accents, recalling how she was pressured to change her Stoke-on-Trent accent to fit in. She argues that the legal sector and beyond must reflect the communities it serves and tackle this ingrained prejudice.

The Case for Change

Research from Nottingham Trent University confirms that certain accents attract negative bias, impacting career progression. Linguistics expert Professor Natalie Braber supports legal recognition; stressing that accent-based discrimination limits opportunities. While not explicitly covered by current law, accent bias can likely intersect with race discrimination under the Equality Act 2010; particularly for accents linked to national origins, such as Scottish or Irish.

Workplace Bias and the Law

With over 50 UK accents, many employees face unconscious bias affecting recruitment and promotion. A tribunal case involving a Liverpudlian bus driver highlighted the legal grey area when the HR manager appeared to reference comedian Harry Enfield’s 1990s television characters, The Scousers. His claim was dismissed as "accent bias" does not currently meet discrimination criteria under the Equality Act 2010.

The argument for accent-based discrimination protection is that one’s accent should not hinder career success. Without explicit legal safeguards against accent discrimination, applicants and employees have limited avenues for redress in this area. Employers should take proactive steps to address unconscious bias in recruitment and career progression; ensuring that hiring and promotion decisions are based on ability and qualifications, not speech patterns.

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