Numeracy tests not needed for Treasury Employees

[MsGreying]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/06/30/treasury-ditched-numeracy-test-to-increase-diversity-hires/

Department removed its mathematical assessment in 2020 to remove a ‘hurdle’ for candidates from ethnic minorities

AIBU to think this is bonkers.
Meritocracy has a very valid place in government.

No. The article dies not say anywhere that minorities were not passing. What it says is that having two tests creates a hurdle. Which it very much could simply by having to travel to London on a second day for a test. People from minorities are already in low paid jobs so might not be able to afford to travel an additional time, or take time off work, or have childcare issues

They can sit the numerical test then...

They removed it to improve the diversity of the pool of people who got through the first stage. Successful applicants have to prove their skills and suitability at every stage and it’s a long process. They are NOT employing people who can’t add up or do long division. I’ve never met anyone on the graduate scheme who hasn’t had a top degree from a top university often Cambridge or Oxford. It’s also a 3 year program where they are extensively trained and tested throughout.

Another layer of administration? Nah

The Treasury scrapped the numerical reasoning test because it had evidence the test was having an “adverse impact on candidate diversity.”

Why should they magically "improve the diversity? If these people are so smart, they can handle the numerical tests. My ds is an Indian LSE economics graduate. He has passed numerous numerical assessments. He studied for them, prepped for them and passed it.

Just hire the best people. How is an online maths test racially biased?

Civil Service guidance for the Verbal and Numerical Tests says plainly: “The test is taken online” and candidates are sent an email invitation with instructions. It also says the numerical test presents graphs, tables or numerical information.

Absolutely this. For those roles needing quant skills there are plenty of bits in the person specs, the behavioural and experience based questions in the job application and interview questions that will cover this. And any civil service role is so competitive right now that only the brightest and best get through sifting.

It’s for their grad scheme.

their grad scheme is very competitive and I’d expect most grads on it to be very mathematical.

anyone going to a uni anyway is going to have ok numeracy as it’s enforced earlier in the system.

What's the issue? It's just an online test. "Admin" yeah. To assess their numerical reasoning in a real world contexts. Some people have to be filtered out.

I'm from India. There to become a civil servant it's a very hard process. Rigorous tough public examinations. And here everyone is whining about doing an online maths test.

It would be lovely to assume all graduates have the level of maths to do the job but when I did teacher training with chemistry and physics graduates, many of whom had masters, quite a few of them failed the mandatory level 2 maths test you have to take to become a teacher. More than once. I really don’t think removing these kinds of tests is a good idea. I doubt anyone woke up in the morning and devised this test for shits and giggles.

Also why the FUCK are PPs with nothing better to say throwing the Reform straw man around?! 2020 was the Conservatives!

"I expect them to be mathematical". And if they are they can sit the online test and if they are as good as they say they are they'll get good scores.

So, what’s the problem with giving them a numeracy test? If all the applicants have Oxbridge degrees, why would a numeracy test be a barrier? It would only be a barrier for someone without the required level of numeracy, so not understanding the issue????

Just who thought it was appropriate to draw a line between numeracy and ethnic diversity anyway? Are they so sure that white British people are generally more numerate than other ethnicities? Surely those are totally independent variables.

I mean the Indians and Chinese actually score a lot higher on GCSE maths

Why weren't they passing the numeracy tests then?

Presumably they do need qualifications for the actual role they're applying for, so if it requires numeracy, they're likely to need maths GCSE as a minimum or a relevant degree for bigger roles. There must be loads of jobs at the Treasury that don't particualrly need numeracy, PR? Office Admin? But will require a level of education suitable for the role.

I would be inrerested to know why ethnic minorities struggled to pass the test. Was it an unusual style of questioning? Do those canidates meet the other requirement? Are a different demograpjic of ethnic minoroty candidates applying, what kind of jobs are we talking about? Because I'd have thought most people with basic life skills and entry level qualifications have basic numeracy, so does the test go beyond that?

As far as I can tell from these government agencies the modelling is pretty awful and politically biased anyway.

Just cut out the middle man and don't bother with the modelling full stop. Then make up some stuff based on what you want it to be to suit your agenda.

If you aren't doing the modelling, you don't need the mathematicians. Employ more spin doctors and influences to promote your message on the net instead.

They've also taken away the literacy test because it sifted out too many "diverse" people. Originally designed to weed out applicants at early stage the withdrawal of these tests has caused a problem at the later sift stage where there are now far higher numbers than before (but apparently of lower quality)

this is in relation to a graduate training scheme so they’ll all be grads anyway

1. I fear you have poor understanding of just how poor graduates can be and still have a degree these days.
2. If they'd all ace the test why remove the test.

Whether you agree with this particular case or not, why do you think that a job application process should not be assessing the skills you have to do the job you're going to be paid for?

Surely the whole process is about getting those with the best technical skills and the best work ethic and the best people skills etc.

The trouble with measuring things - like diversity - is that it alters behaviour to improve the statistics not to resolve any underlying barriers such as class or race.

In Stalin's Russia all factories used to switch between producing either tiny nails or massive ones depending on whether the measurements were by volume or by weight.

Are you really suggesting that thinking it would be a good idea for potential employees of the Treasury to be able to pass a numeracy test is a sign of someone being a reform voter?

That's certainly one of the odder things I've read on MN recently!

I presume you have basic numeracy skills but I doubt you would understand things like net present value, or statistical confidence levels of estimates.

Just two examples necessary to do any kind of sensible forecasting or validate "obvious solutions" to problems.

Most people seem unable to do a quick calculation of why taxing billionaires to the hilt doesn't supply much money to the economy - hence why most people think they shouldn't be taxed to pay for things they want.

@Soliloquai
”when I did teacher training with chemistry and physics graduates, many of whom had masters, quite a few of them failed the mandatory level 2 maths test you have to take to become a teacher. More than once.”

You’re saying that a number of Physics graduates failed a level 2 Maths test, which is equivalent to scraping a 4 at GCSE?
Words fail…

HM Treasury’s Policy Adviser Graduate Programme — in practice, graduate policy adviser roles at the Treasury, not Treasury roles generally.

It's not about White British. It's about the diversity spread. The diversity stats look equally bad if it's predominantly Indian, or Chinese, or British - or if its mostly men or women etc.

Personally i think tests are good. Provided they are fairly designed and not too constricting they take subjective judgement (right accent, right school, parentage, etc) out of the picture.

Why wouldn't I want to choose people who have a better than average chance of doing the job well?

They will remove the need to speak English in the civil service soon. Diversity targets are far more important than ability.

It's a large government department with varying levels of jobs and skills requirements. Anyone dealing with anything financially complex will need experience/qualifications/training for that role.

But there are also roles where other skills take priority. Or they may be entry level and not financially based at all.

I'm not surprised they got rid of it. If it's not making any difference to how capable the person is at the job they are applying for.