Educational attainment has emerged as the most significant predictor of political attitudes toward immigration and diversity in the United Kingdom, according to a comprehensive new study. The research from the independent National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) reveals a stark educational divide that shapes British perspectives on these crucial social issues.
The Educational Divide in Political Support
The Demographic Divides report presents compelling evidence that educational background serves as a powerful indicator of political alignment in contemporary Britain. The study found that individuals with qualifications below A-level were more than twice as likely to support rightwing political parties compared to those holding university degrees or higher qualifications.
"A person with no educational qualifications had around 2 times the odds of voting for either the Conservatives or Reform UK than someone with a university degree or higher," the report states. "This is independent of other factors, including financial precarity, so those without a degree are more likely to support rightwing parties in the UK even after adjusting for their financial situation."
The researchers emphasise that educational background provides such a reliable predictor that "knowing their educational background would give them a very good chance of making a correct prediction" about whether someone supports rightwing political parties in Britain.
Comparative Analysis with the United States
While similar educational patterns appear in American politics, the study reveals important differences between the two nations. In the United States, people with a high school education or lower were twice as likely as college graduates to support Donald Trump over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
"Rightwing movements in both countries share a common difficulty in gaining support among those who have been through higher education and obtained a degree," the report notes. However, the researchers found that education divides attitudes on race, diversity and immigration more strongly in the UK than in the United States.
Attitudes Toward Diversity and Immigration
The research reveals dramatic differences in how educated and less-educated Britons perceive diversity and immigration. In the UK, 65% of people educated to degree level or above believe diversity strengthens society, compared with just 30% of people educated to A-level or below.
This educational divide extends to perceptions of racial advantage. When asked about whether white people benefit from advantages that Black people do not have, 60% of university or college graduates in both countries responded that this occurs "a great deal" or "a fair amount." By contrast, only 30% of those with qualifications below A-levels in the UK shared this perspective.
Immigration Policy Perspectives
The study also examined attitudes toward immigration policy, revealing significant educational differences. In Britain, 55% of people with below A-level qualifications believe immigrants living in the country without permission should not be allowed to stay, compared with 36% of degree holders.
Alex Scholes, a research director at NatCen, commented on the transatlantic differences revealed by the study: "Rightwing politics in the UK and the US are often compared, but our findings show they are built on different foundations."
"In Britain, education stands out as the most important dividing line, particularly on immigration and diversity," Scholes explained. "In the US, support for the right reflects a much denser mix of identities, including ethnicity, religion, gender, age and economic insecurity. These differences help explain why political polarisation looks and feels different between the UK and US."
Broader Implications for British Society
The research highlights how educational attainment has become a primary social cleavage in contemporary Britain, influencing not just political preferences but fundamental attitudes toward diversity and immigration. The findings suggest that as educational attainment continues to rise in the UK population, attitudes toward these issues may continue to evolve.
The study's comparative approach reveals that while both nations experience educational divides in political attitudes, the British context shows education playing an even more dominant role than in the United States, where factors such as ethnicity, gender, financial precarity and geographic location play more significant roles in predicting political support.
