Personal questions at interview

[Edemummy]

I am embarking on a job search soon and from memory, I've always been asked personal questions which make me uncomfortable. I have an accent so I always get grilled on why I came to UK, and then lots of follow up questions. My coming to UK 15 years ago is not related to any job or study and is completely personal, long winded and a complicated story. I usually feel like my privacy is rudely invaded when strangers start interrogating me on my life story. With a potential employer though, I am struggling to come up with a polite way to brush these questions off and keep the conversation light hearted and open, I don't want to come across as though I am hiding something.
What would be the best way to decline answering personal questions but leave a good impression at the same time?

I think in an interview I would say something like "I originally came to the UK for long and boring personal circumstances at the time, but it worked out so well in the end because I could do x, y and z". With a bright smile and no hint that it's awkward, just redirect towards something relevant to work.

TBH if they ask the lose questions then they are breaking the law. (Equality Act 2010). So I would tell them so and leave the interview. You really don't want to be working there!

They're just interested and trying to make a connection. If you're obviously not British or have on your CV that you have high school qualifications from Germany or a degree from Brazil, the question of "and what brought you to the UK?" is not unreasonable. They do not want to spend a fortune recruiting and training someone who is only in the UK temporarily or has plans to return imminently.

You don't need to give a long winded explanation. Saying "my boyfriend of the time lived here" or "I came on a short visit, loved it and stayed" is the sort of thing they will be expecting, not your entire life history.

How?

They're not. National origin isn't a protected characteristic.
OP they don't want to know your whole life story. Just your background. If you have a work history that's foreign....big gap, then suddenly UK work for example it looks very suspicious.
Maybe you came here illegally.
You don't have to tell them loads. Just give a brief summary that explains your CV reasonably.

They should only be asking questions relevant to the job you're applying for. Does your CV/ job application have your full work history on it? Maybe there are gaps that raise further questions.

I'm NHS and everyone has to be asked the same questions at interview for reasons of fairness. But we have to give a full work history, reason for leaving every job and account for every gap in employment so interviewers have all that info in advance and may ask someone to expand further on some areas.

And we have to answer whether we have the right to work in UK

Irritatingly, it's not illegal for potential employers to have poor social skills or to be closet xenophobic. I politely lie and say "I came over for my husband's job" but inside, I see it as a great way of filtering twatty employers out so you know whether to accept their offer or not. The more "where are you from?" "that's an unusual name, where is it from/what does it mean/why do you have it?" "why did you come to England/Ireland/NI/Scotland?" that I get asked, the less likely I am to accept the job.

This is concerning. I also speak with an accent and tend to get asked about my background but it’s very much out of curiosity and not meant rudely. Perhaps have something prepared to say in advance? “Yes, I’ve lived here for 15 years and absolutely love the U.K.” ??

TBH if they ask the lose questions then they are breaking the law. (Equality Act 2010)

Don't be ridiculous 🙄

Same here, but even in cases where there's hostility as @MiraculousLadybug I've never been 'grillled' or had multiple follow up questions like the OP.
Interviews are time boxed, if the interviewers are biased they wouldn't really be asking all this, they just have to ask you the actual interview questions in a way that sets you up to fail.

Given the OP's claims of a 'long-winded backstory' I suspect that the questions have more to do with gaps in their background.

I'd also disagree with the fact most people are xenophobic, racist, or desperate to discriminate. Many are just interested and trying to break the ice in a formal situation.

Just say you originally came to the U.K. for personal reasons but developed a career in x which is strong in the U.K./liked it so much you decided to stay and build your life here. They don't need details.

It might not be breaking the law directly but they could find themselves in trouble under the equality act. Indirect discrimination could be an issue on the grounds of race. In the sense that people of an ethnic minority are more likely to be asked that question than not. And if the OP does not get the job she could potentially argue that her andwer could have been influential.

Whether she would win is another matter but the employer certainly seems to leave themselves open to that allegation.

If they are worried that OP might leave they could ask where she sees herself on five years time or something to that effect.

And FYI it is annoying to be asked where you are from. OP I get you. I would just politely brush it off and say something along the lines of it was time for a change that's sort of thing.

Thank you for your replies, some interesting suggestions here.
The legality/ gaps etc are all in the CV, also most employers ask right away for right to work in the UK, so it's all covered from the get go and not a reason.
That aside, in the past I would normally explain the reason why I have moved here, but it never seems to be enough I always get more and more questions, in a nosey way. I don't mind talking about it but find the situation a bit weird, maybe with a friend over a glass of wine.... but not in an interview room with a stranger. Similar with questions about children. I was asked recently their ages and then "it must be really hard". Why do people think it's ok to ask that stuff?
Anyway, thanks for your kind advice.