The Great British Class Calculator

[Koogie]

A calculator on the BBC site which claims to be able to tell which of the "new" seven economic classes you would belong to in the UK.

BBC News - The Great British class calculator: What class are you?

It seems of lesser value or relevance to those of us living in North America but for a fun, free little distraction it was okay.

At least to this member of the "Emergent Service Worker" class...

 

[Sarah in SC]

Haha, I'm in the established middle class, Koogie! Good to know!

 

[bondi688]

I was hoping to be classified as royalties because I am as looney as Prince Charles and Harry, but I ended up in the precariat rank.

 

[Amethyst]

I think we confused the calculator - as Americans should, and as we in fact did, when we lived in the UK. The best it could do was "traditional working class," although we seem to have many factors associated with other classes. The killer seemed to be that our social circle is very diverse - we know scientists, artists, and tradespeople personally.

A.

 

[bondi688]

By changing a few cultural preference, while keeping household income (50k), house values (125k), savings (50k) the same, I was upgraded to the elite category from middle class just because

--I visit the museum and listen to classical music
--socialise with people who do a wide variety of jobs

This calculator is culturally biased ( you are elite if you go to museum, opera, ballet) and just as silly and useless as the "are you wealthy?" questionnaire.

 

[Katsmeow]

This was interesting. I did it 3 times.

The first time I filled it out based upon when DH and I were working full time and in the house we lived in then. We came out elite. For that one we were in the top income choice they gave. Our house was in the next to the top value. We came out as Elite.

I then did it based upon current income and house. I work part-time, DH is retired and we withdraw from his IRA. That put our income in the second from top group and our house (we downsized) is in the next group down. The other social and cultural part was the same as the first. This game out as Technical Middle Class.

So then I did it based upon our projected income in a few years after I fully retire and the kids are gone. That moves our income category down a notch but the house and the social and cultural part stay the same. To my surprise we came out as Elite once again even though we were in a lower income group than when we came out Technical Middle Class.

 

[FIREd]

I'm Elite

I don't go to museums, the opera, the theater, or the ballet... I picked go to stately homes, play video games, use Facebook/Twitter, socialize at home, and do arts and crafts... I rent... And I socially hang out with a wide range of people from secretaries to CEOs...

 

[heeyy_joe]

I am elite. Unless I lose a few pounds.

 

[Meadbh]

I came out as traditional working class, based on being older, owning my own home, and socializing with people like myself. I find that odd, since many if not most of the people I socialize with would not be considered traditional working class, and the questionnaire did not ask me for information about myself, so how could they know? I also checked off theater and opera as interests. In the old classification I would have been called professional based on my job, but that didn't come into the equation here.

 

[Janet H]

There's a longer version of that same survey here: https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/class/ The original test takes about 20 minutes and requires a sign in but it's pretty fun. It's worth looking around at other surveys at the same site - they are hosted by the BBC and seem like a cool way to leverage public opinion https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/labuk/

BTW - I also ended up in the elite bin although I'm sure they would reconsider if it were known I played the banjo and drink iced tea

 

[Calico]

I came out as Established Middle Class. Apparently, in order to make it into Elite, I would have to beef up my "highbrow cultural activities."

Guess I'll just keep consorting with the riff-raff I'm used to!

 

[ls99]

Unless one is "properly" introdued, one does not exists. Regardless of class standing.

 

[samclem]

This calculator is culturally biased ( you are elite if you go to museum, opera, ballet) and just as silly and useless as the "are you wealthy?" questionnaire.

How could you have a "class calculator" that didn't take cultural factors into account? The "bias" in this case, I think, is designed to faithfully replicate the way class distinctions are made in the UK.
I think the whole idea of defined "classes" is a bit off-putting to most Americans (me included). If we talk about income or assets or education level or jobs (management vs labor, etc) we are probably on common ground, but as soon as someone says "middle-class" the category becomes so broad as to be relatively meaningless to me.

 

[MichaelB]

I think the calculator has a major flaw - it doesn't check people's accents, and we all know the accent makes all the difference.

 

[rodi]

I don't think you have to select a lot of the high brow cultural stuff (opera, theater, etc) to get labeled Elite. I didn't select those since they happen maybe once a year or less. In fact I selected very little in that category - I like indie/alternative rock, socialize at home and go to museums every few months (on the Free days, cause I'm cheap).

I thought it was interesting that value of the house was an issue - not the equity in the house. Lots of people in my 'hood have expensive houses and HUGE debt...

It seemed to like that I have diverse friends.

 

[clifp]

I think the calculator has a major flaw - it doesn't check people's accents, and we all know the accent makes all the difference.

Yes a posh accent has to be worth one or two class upgrades at a minimum.
Unfortunately, American accent to have nearly the cache' that British accents have over here.

 

[UserRequested]

Everyone knows only old money buys class in the UK. Most folks on this site had to work hard to become FI, so would not qualify
Had to laugh when I say the caricatures of the men in the various classes. Only the Elite guy was clean shaven and/or had no sideburns. The others had facial hair.

The site tells me that I'm all cRass and no cLass

 

[haha]

I think the calculator has a major flaw - it doesn't check people's accents, and we all know the accent makes all the difference.

This is what I was going to say. In England, your accent tells the tale. Remember My Fair Lady? Also helps if you ride well, and can hit the grouse on the moors. Owning a huge spread in Scotland is always good too.

Ha

 

[FIREd]

Everyone knows only old money buys class in the UK.

Yes, the Nouveaux Riches are so incredibly distasteful.

 

[yakers]

Verdict is Technical Middle Class, couldn't have been more accurate. I think the trick question was about hanging out with scientists, over rides opera, income and the like.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Unless one is "properly" introdued, one does not exists. Regardless of class standing.

I am please with my New Affluent Worker rating.
You Are:
Young, come from working class and own your own home.

I'm Young! I'm Young! I'm Young!

Hallelujah!

 

[brewer12345]

Also helps if you ride well, and can hit the grouse on the moors.

Ha

Funny how in the UK hunting is thought of as a sport of the nobility while here in the US it brings up images of pick up trucks, single wides, skoal, etc.

 

[Meadbh]

I didn't know how to answer "visits stately houses". I would, but we ain't got too many of 'em 'round here, eh?

 

[haha]

Funny how in the UK hunting is thought of as a sport of the nobility while here in the US it brings up images of pick up trucks, single wides, skoal, etc.

I believe it is mostly because we have much more public land. I understand that in England it is even very hard for anyone who is not wealthy to go trout fishing, or salmon fishing.

But those clever guys have made an art out of fishing for species that in the US west are more or less ignored.

Ha

 

[brewer12345]

I believe it is mostly because we have much more public land. I understand that in England it is even very hard for anyone who is not wealthy to go trout fishing, or salmon fishing.

But those clever guys have made an art out of fishing for species that in the US west are more or less ignored.

Ha

That and the history of firearms mostly being the province of the nobility in the UK. I think the lack of public land is the main thing. Hunger for land is why the British settled the US, Canuckistan, Australia, etc.