UK Treasury Scraps Numeracy Tests to Attract Diverse Graduates

The UK's Treasury has discontinued its numeracy test for graduate hires, a decision announced on Tuesday that the department stated was intended to attract a more diverse range of candidates. This move has drawn criticism, with some labeling it as 'ideological nonsense' and a departure from meritocracy.

The mathematical reasoning exam, which required candidates to demonstrate skills in calculations and data problem-solving, was reportedly scrapped in 2019. According to board minutes, the Treasury found the test was having an 'adverse impact' and hindering the recruitment of individuals from varied backgrounds. The department stated it aimed for a 'more diverse ethnicity at assessment centres' and believed that having two tests, including a verbal reasoning assessment, created an additional 'hurdle' for applicants.

The Treasury also noted that levels of adverse impact decreased in its 2020 hiring campaign after the removal of the maths test. Subsequently, the verbal reasoning test was removed in 2024, following advice from an ethnic diversity recruitment specialist who indicated that candidates tended to struggle with it. This assessment was replaced by the 'Civil Service Strengths Test,' which poses agreement-based questions such as 'I prefer not to have to concentrate on one thing for too long' or 'it is important for me to exceed expectations when I am given a task to do.'

Politicians from the Conservative party and Reform have voiced opposition to the Treasury's actions. Conservative MP Jack Rankin stated that under Kemi Badenoch's leadership, the party would work to scrap the Public Sector Equality Duty to 'restore genuine meritocracy.' Lord Frost, a Conservative peer, commented that such decisions were unsurprising given recent trends within the Civil Service. Reform's economics spokesman Robert Jenrick remarked, "If people can't add up, they shouldn't be in the Treasury."

A Treasury spokesperson defended the decision, stating, "It is complete nonsense to suggest that we have lowered our hiring standards for the sake of diversity."