Diversity statistics

The Undercover Policing Inquiry is staffed by a highly motivated, skilled and diverse workforce. The Inquiry is committed to promoting and ensuring equality and valuing diversity.

The Inquiry conducts a diversity snapshot survey annually, which collects data focused on the protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010. The available data on the Inquiry’s workforce as of September 2023 is included on this page.

  • Where grade-level data has been provided, grades have been grouped to protect the identity of individual respondents and allow for comparability across the different grading systems used within the Inquiry. This includes equivalent level posts across the Inquiry.
  • The following Civil Service grades are used within the Inquiry (in order of seniority): Administrative Officers (AO), Executive Officer
    (EO), Higher Executive Officer (HEO), Senior Executive Officer (SEO), Grade 7 (G7), Grade 6 (G6), Senior Civil Service (SCS).
  • Solicitors working at the Inquiry also use a similar equivalent grade structure (in order of seniority): Legal Trainee, Legal Support, Senior Paralegal, Associate, Senior Associate, G7 Lawyer, Deputy Solicitor, Inquiry Solicitor, Solicitor to the Inquiry.
  • Within the Inquiry’s Counsel team, the following grading system is used (in order of seniority): Junior Junior, Second Junior, First Junior, Lead Counsel.

Sex

70% of Inquiry staff who responded are female. In the highest grade grouping, this figure is 69%.

Chart 1: Sex of Inquiry staff, 2023

Pie chart showing gender identity of Inquiry staff, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 1'.

  • 70% of Inquiry staff who responded are Female and 28% are Male. 2% preferred not to say.

Chart 2: Sex of Inquiry staff by grade, 2023

Bar chart showing gender identity of Inquiry staff by grade, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 2'.

  • In the AO/EO grade grouping, 91% of Inquiry staff who responded are Female and 9% are Male.
  • In the HEO/SEO grade grouping, 86% of Inquiry staff who responded are Female and 14% are Male.
  • In the G7/Junior Junior grade grouping, 53% of Inquiry staff who responded are Female and 47% are Male.
  • In the G6/Second Junior grade grouping, 73% of Inquiry staff who responded are Female and 27% are Male.
  • In the SCS or higher/First Junior or higher grade grouping, 60% of Inquiry staff who responded are Female and 40% are Male.

Ethnicity

39% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an ethnic minority background. In the highest grade grouping, this figure is 22%.

According to figures released by the Office of National Statistics, 15% of the UK’s working population identified as an ethnic minority in June 2023.

Chart 3: Representation of ethnic minorities in the Inquiry, 2023

Pie chart showing representation of ethnic minorities in the Inquiry, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 3'.

  • 17% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an Asian or Asian British background, 15% are from a Black or Black British background, 4% are from a Mixed background, 3% are from other ethnic groups and 63% are from a White background. 6% preferred not to say.

Chart 4: Representation of ethnic minorities in the Inquiry by grade, 2023

Bar chart showing representation of ethnic minorities in the Inquiry by grade, 2023. Described under 'Table for Chart 4'.

  • In the AA/EO grade grouping, 46% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an Black or Black British background, 27% are from a White background, 9% from a mixed background and 18% either from another ethnic group or preferred not to say.
  • In the HEO/SEO grade grouping, 36% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an Black or Black British background, 36% are from a White background, and 36% from an Asian or Asian British background.
  • In the G7/Junior Junior grade grouping, 5% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an Black or Black British background, 63% are from a White background and 32% from an Asian or Asian British background.
  • In the G6/Second Junior grouping, 5% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an Black or Black British background, 72% are from a White background, 9% from an Asian or Asian British background, 9% from a mixed background and 5% from other ethnic groups or preferred not to say.
  • In the SCS or higher/First Junior or higher grade grouping, 10% of Inquiry staff who responded are from an Asian or Asian British background and 90% are from a White background.

Age

Chart 5: Proportion of Inquiry staff by age, 2023

Pie chart showing proportion of Inquiry staff by age, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 5'.

  • 34% of Inquiry staff who responded are in the 20-29 age bracket, 25% are in the 30-39 bracket, 25% are in the 40-49 bracket, 12% are in the 50+ bracket. 4% preferred not to say.

Chart 6: Proportion of Inquiry staff by age and grade, 2023

Bar chart showing proportion of Inquiry staff by age and grade, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 6'.

  • In the AO/EO grade grouping, 91% of Inquiry staff who responded are in the 20-29 age bracket and 9% are in the 30-39 bracket.
  • In the HEO/SEO grade grouping, 64% of Inquiry staff who responded are in the 20-29 age bracket, 22% are in the 40-49 bracket, 14% are in the 50+ bracket.
  • In the G7/Junior Junior grade grouping, 11% of Inquiry staff who responded are in the 20-29 age bracket, 53% are in the 30-39 bracket, 31% are in the 40-49 bracket, 5% are in the 50+ bracket.
  • In the G6/Second Junior grade grouping, 14% of Inquiry staff who responded are in the 20-29 age bracket, 50% are in the 30-39 bracket, 27% are in the 40-49 bracket, 9% are in the 50+ bracket.
  • In the SCS or higher/First Junior or higher grade grouping, 80% are in the 40-49 bracket and 20% are in the 50+ bracket.

Disability

Chart 7: Proportion of Inquiry staff considering themselves to have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010, 2023

Pie chart showing proportion of Inquiry staff considering themselves to have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 7'.

  • 9% of Inquiry staff who responded consider themselves to have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010. 7% preferred not to say.

Sexual orientation

Chart 8: Sexual orientation of Inquiry staff, 2023

Pie chart showing sexual orientation of Inquiry staff, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 8'.

  • 6% of Inquiry staff who responded identify as LGBT+ and 90% identify as Heterosexual/Straight. 5% preferred not to say.

Religion and belief

36% of Inquiry staff who responded reported that they were Christian and 33% reported as having no religion or belief.  The most common reported religion or belief after Christianity was Islam (Muslim) at 12%.

Chart 9: Representation of Inquiry staff by religion or belief, 2023

Pie chart showing representation of Inquiry staff by religion or belief, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 9'.

  • 36% of Inquiry staff who responded reported that they were Christian, 6% reported as being Hindu, 2% reported as being Jewish, 12% reported as being Muslim and 33% reported as having no religion or belief. 11% responded with an other religion or preferred not to say.

Primary care giver

Chart 10: Proportion of Inquiry staff with responsibilities as a primary care giver, 2023

Pie chart showing proportion of Inquiry staff with responsibilities as a primary care giver, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 10'.

  • 25% of Inquiry staff who responded have responsibilities as a primary care giver. 6% preferred not to say.

Martial status

Chart 11: Marital status of Inquiry staff, 2023

Pie chart showing marital status of Inquiry staff, 2023. Described under 'Description for Chart 11'.

  • 29% of Inquiry staff who responded reported as being Married or Civil Partnered. 8% preferred not to say.

Pregnancy and maternity leave

Chart 12: Proportion of Inquiry staff who have been pregnant or on maternity leave in the last 12 months, 2023

Pie chart showing proportion of Inquiry staff who have been pregnant or on maternity leave in the last 12 months, 2023. Described under 'Table for Chart 12'.

  • 4% of Inquiry staff who responded have been pregnant or on maternity leave in the past 12 months. 3% preferred not to say.