To ask if a prospective employer has to do this

[Ritzsaltedcrackers]

If you meet all the criteria for a job and don’t get short listed, if you ask the employer for feedback on how short list was done and why you didn’t make it, do they have to provide it?

Yes they do have to provide it if it's requested. They have to keep the records to show they are complying with data protection/protecting protected characteristics.

Ah didn't see the political views thing.

I know someone who didn't get shortlisted for something they thought they would be perfect for and really wanted.

He rang up to ask for constructive feedback on his application to see what he needed to do to improve so that next time around he would. E considered.

They said they had had hundreds of applications so had started going through them and had come up with so many excellent candidates that they had filled all their interview slots and hadn't opened half the applications - and they didn't have the time or resources to go through them all or interview more people.

However because he had taken initiative and got talking and they liked the sound of him they did interview him and he went on to get the job.

There was nothing personal about the way he was missed out first time around, he was just unlucky to be innthe wrong postbag.

Maybe an approach like this would work for you; asking for constructive feedback and being prepared to show them how great you are on the phone they might add you to the shortlist or consider you next time they have a vacancy and you'll get some insight into other things they were really looking for. Or you might discover it was a job spec written for an internal candidate and you were never going to get it as it was stitched up from the start so you have saved yourself the expense and stress of and interview.