Why would I be asked on an application form if I used to get free meals at school?

[user1471867483]

Well, the answer is yes, but would that go against me or something?

I believe some companies use that information to improve diversity in their recruitment (the same way they ask about ethnicity).
I don't think the data is actively used in individual recruitment though, it's more likely to monitor their reach.
Traditional communication channels used by multinationals are often biased towards specific segments of society. If this company is trying to broaden their reach by implementing specific actions, they would want to see if it's having an impact on candidates that apply.

It's social mobility monitoring. My (public) organisation asks questions when I was 14. 1- parents' occupations, and whether I had free school meals.

Bollocks. For a start it’s asking for my sexual orientation, not my daughters who are catching the actual bus. And how would people know if my daughters are bi, straight or lesbian either way? It makes no difference to their ‘duties and responsibilities’ whether some kid after a student bus pass has a mum who likes fanny as well as cock.

Fine. It's an evil conspiracy where cash-strapped organisations waste their own time and money because they like annoying you so much. Happy?

This

That's not positive discrimination; it's an attempt to offer a fair process, where it is recognised that having a disability may put you at a disadvantage in the process. To positively weight a protected characteristic in an actual offer is absolutely illegal.

Positive discrimination is not illegal, there are multiple guaranteed interview schemes in the UK which employers can offer for people from minority ethnic backgrounds, with disabilities etc

Positive Discrimination absolutely is illegal. What you describe isn't positive discrimination.

It's positive action, not positive discrimination. The latter is illegal. The former is voluntary action taken by some companies with the aim of achieving fairer outcomes in recruitment, promotion, reward and other decisions.

We get asked this question as part of data capture in my workplace. We don't force anyone to answer it though, same with other personal information - but it does help us understand the diversity of the workforce and whether our processes are resulting in outcomes that are fair to all.

Social class / income is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act so they have no legitimate reason to ask for this data. I know it's now widely practiced but it's utter bollocks.

I've never seen any evidence that capturing demographic profile data does anything to change recruitment practices. The biggest practitioners of this approach (publishing, the BBC, charities) are hardly bastions of equality and working class representation are they?

Same, though I was a little after the free school milk, so didn't get that either! I remember taking my lunch money in on a Monday in those little paper envelopes where you filled in your name and class, etc, on the outside. We were not at all well off as only my DF could work. I didn't think much of it then - I had a fab childhood and remember lots of fun school holidays, playing games with my DM in the garden, but looking back at the photos I realise how badly off we were, by the look of the house in the background. Everything was so shabby and falling apart, or second or even third hand. My parents just shielded me from it as much as possible.

I also never changed out of my school clothes, and the school lunches were the only hot meals I had during the week. I just had a sandwich for tea when I got home after school.

I honestly wouldn't know how to answer this question on a form. How many other parents shield their kids from their finances? How many kids were on FSM don't even realise?

It will have targets for increasing the amount of working class people in their organisation.

Studies showed that your parent's financial situation when you were 14 are the biggest indicator of what class you are, and if hardly anyone is ticking the "yes I got free school meals" box, it means they'll probably staring promoting their adverts in different places

This may help

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/socio-economic-diversity-and-inclusion-employers-toolkit

Screenshot

I imagine it's a diversity/demographic questionnaire the same as they would ask you for your ethnicity, disability, sexual identity etc.

It wouldn't go against you @user1471867483 , it would potentially help you get a job as they might have quotas to meet.

Thank you all for your comments. Just to let you know I wasn't shortlisted after all. They obviously don't want anyone from the 'ghetto' - lol.

It's to measure socio economic diversity which is actually so poorly understood in many London firms. My DH does a lot to increase social mobility so this is one (not only) way it's measured. It won't go against you

I can reassure you that it’s nothing to do with anything you filled in on the monitoring form, though - they never go anywhere near the people sifting.

Good luck with the next application.

That's nice. Thank you 😉