Ucas: 'Name-blind' applications deserve to be welcomed

In the UK, non-white graduates remain almost twice as likely as their white peers to be unemployed six months after graduation

In the UK, non-white graduates remain almost twice as likely as their white peers to be unemployed six months after graduation (Getty)

Study after study has shown the grave effects of “unconscious” racial bias. A CV sent in with an African-American name was, in one US study, half as likely to lead to a job interview as an identical match sent in with a stereotypically white name. Many of those who rejected the “blacker”-sounding names would fight against the characterisation of their actions as motivated by racism, but the statistics do not lie: in employment, education – even in health – names matter, and they can harm the life chances of those with African heritage.

Progress has been made in tackling the most obvious manifestations of racism. Less attention has been focused on the subconscious biases that remain vastly more widespread. So David Cameron’s announcement that university applications through Ucas will be “name-blind” by 2017 deserves to be welcomed. It is a concrete step towards reducing the impact of racism on British society and, coupled with a push for more employers to screen candidates on a name-blind basis, makes good on the Prime Minister’s promise during his party conference speech to lever the Tories against discrimination.

In the UK, non-white graduates remain almost twice as likely as their white peers to be unemployed six months after graduation: that stark gap should start to narrow with news that the Civil Service, the NHS, the BBC and Deloitte will, among others, anonymise job applications from now on.

The move will benefit the Tories politically, too. It is no coincidence that Mr Cameron has announced the measure as his party comes under fire for its plans to cut tax credits. Nor should it diminish the significance of the reform to point out that compassion, in this field, comes cheap. The cut to tax credits, meanwhile, will hit ethnic minorities hardest, according to government data. Truly “compassionate Conservatism” has some way to go yet.