Survey Shows 'Polyclass' Identity Grows as Six Million Britons Feel Multi‑Class

The survey polled 2,000 adults across the United Kingdom and asked respondents to place themselves in social categories and note any shifts over their lifetime. Results showed that 35 % of participants reported moving between classes, with the highest mobility seen among those who started in upper‑middle or upper‑class backgrounds. Working‑class respondents were the least likely to report change, with 70 % saying they remained in the class they were born into. The survey also found that nearly half of respondents said they had felt judged for their class, and most ranked social class above age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation when considering how others perceive them.

Researchers coined the term “polyclass” to describe the equivalent of six million British people who see themselves as fitting into more than one class at once. This group represents about 9 % of the UK population. Dominic Abrams, professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, noted that traditional classifications such as ABC1 no longer reliably signal beliefs, attitudes, or voting behaviour because the historic link between class and party allegiance is breaking down.

The blurring of class boundaries suggests that policies based on static socioeconomic brackets may miss the lived experience of a growing share of the population. For example, political campaigns that target voters by class alone could see diminishing returns as more people feel they straddle multiple categories. At the same time, working‑class individuals who do move upward often report feeling judged for their origins, which can affect wellbeing even after economic gains.

Future surveys will need to track whether the polyclass identity continues to rise and how it influences voting patterns, consumer behaviour, and social mobility initiatives.