Are top honours winners too posh and too southern?

According to an analysis of Cabinet Office data by the BBC, only 6% of the highest honors in the latest New Year Honours list were awarded to individuals from the North of England, and a mere 4% to those from working-class backgrounds. This data has sparked questions about the fairness of the honors system, highlighting disparities between regions and social classes.

The data reveals that over 60% of recipients of "senior" honors, such as Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBEs), knighthoods, and damehoods, reside in London and the South East of England. This proportion is significantly higher than these regions' share of the total UK population, indicating an uneven distribution of honors.

In response, the UK government stated it will hold events to encourage more nominations from people of diverse backgrounds, particularly those communities and regions that are underrepresented in the honors lists. "The Prime Minister has been clear that he wants to see representation from different backgrounds from across the UK," a government spokesperson said. Labour leader Keir Starmer also hopes the honors system can reflect "the extraordinary contributions made in every part of this country."

Cabinet Office data shows that chief executives, professors, and senior civil servants are common recipients in the most recent list of senior honors. However, the government wants to ensure that honors also go to "underrepresented communities" and "wants to see a greater diversity in the types of work that are rewarded." The government emphasized that "honors should not be automatic or taken for granted because of the job or position someone holds."

The government plans to conduct outreach programs and public events, including ministerial involvement, to encourage more nominations from areas outside London, thereby reflecting the Prime Minister's desire for the honors list to be "truly diverse and representative of UK society." "We are working to raise awareness of the honors system in underrepresented areas and encourage more nominations," a government spokesperson said.

Analysis of the 142 highest honors awarded in the New Year (CBEs, Order of the Bath, Order of the Companions of Honour, knighthoods and damehoods) reveals significant regional and social divisions: no one from the North East of England received an award; the North, North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber combined accounted for only 6%, despite representing 23% of the UK population; the West Midlands (8% of the population) received 3% of the awards; London and the South East (27% of the UK population) were heavily over-represented, receiving 61% of senior awards; Scotland and Wales received a share of honors similar to their population; Northern Ireland was under-represented; 4% of the highest honors went to people who grew up in working class families; about 1/50 people turned down an honor last year; diversity is much greater in the next level of honors, such as OBEs, MBEs and BEMs, with 64% of recipients from outside London and the South East and 33% from working class backgrounds.

This year's New Year Honours list was supposed to recognize "unsung heroes and community champions," but in reality, the more prestigious awards appear to be concentrated in affluent areas and among affluent individuals. According to Cabinet Office data, only 4% of "senior" awards went to people from "lower socio-economic" backgrounds – defined as having parents who worked as delivery drivers, postal workers, security guards and retail staff – who make up nearly 40% of the workforce. Former Home Office minister and critic of the honors system, Norman Baker, said: "It is grossly unfair. It is not based on merit but the top-down nature of society. It needs to change and is an anachronism."

He also argued that there is a double standard in the honors system for different social groups. In addition to the 142 "senior" awards in the New Year Honours, there are over 1,000 Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs), Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs), and British Empire Medals. Baker said: "If you are a senior civil servant you end up with a top honor. If you are a lollipop lady who has worked outside a school in the cold for 60 years, you might get an MBE if you are lucky."

Private Eye magazine recently highlighted that while a group of sub-postmasters wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal received OBEs, a senior lawyer at the law firm representing the Post Office received a higher-level CBE. Shadow Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary Kevin Hollinrake called it "absolutely staggering" on X. Rosie Lockwood of the IPPR North think tank said: "It's time for system reform. The honors system is yet another example of how the country's institutions overlook people in areas like the North."

Transparency International UK, which works to combat corruption in public life, said it should be clear who nominated honors recipients. Was it a government department or a company seeking an award for its senior staff? How many people are genuinely nominated by the public or community groups? The organization's chief executive, Daniel Bruce, said: "If people think that proximity to power and personal wealth significantly increases your chances of getting an honor, that will not help build confidence and trust in the honors system."

Attempts have also been made to make honors more representative - with the public invited to submit nominations. In the honors, gender balance is roughly equal and across all honors, 12% went to people from ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to 6% a decade ago. There is also now a wider range of honors available - the first recipients of the Humanitarian Medal have just been announced. Recipients have spoken of the huge positive impact the awards have, not only for themselves but in recognizing the efforts of colleagues too.

Anna Daniel was one of the first recipients of the Humanitarian Medal last week. She was recognized for providing medical assistance to survivors of the deadly floods in Libya in 2023. She said receiving the medal was an "amazing surprise" but that it was also significant for "highlighting the importance of humanitarian aid." Amanda Chadwick from Manchester said receiving an MBE had changed her life because it raised awareness of her children's charity and helped her reach more people. Railway worker Siji Cragwell, originally from Barbados, said he proudly wears the British Empire Medal he received last year at the age of 85 for 62 years of service on the railways. He was a VIP guest at the unveiling of the Windrush monument at London Waterloo station.

But there have also been questions about modernizing the name of the medals, particularly regarding the use of "Empire." Poet Benjamin Zephaniah turned down an OBE because of its links to colonialism. The Cabinet Office said that "around 2% of people decline an honor" but did not give reasons. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "Individuals decline an honor for a variety of reasons, and we respect their personal decision to do so."

More than 20 years ago, the House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee called for the word "Empire" to be dropped, but the proposal was subsequently rejected by the then-UK government. *Additional reporting by Avi Holden and David Ainslie*