Why we no longer use the term ‘BAME’ in government

How we write about race and ethnicity matters.

As civil servants, we need to be as precise as we can in the language we use when describing different ethnic groups, and also in how we develop solutions to address the more persistent disparities in outcomes between those groups.

In the summer of 2020, the Prime Minister appointed the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities to review the causes for race inequality in the UK. In its report, published on 31 March 2021, the Commission found that aggregate terms like ‘BAME’ (black, Asian and minority ethnic) were no longer helpful and should be dropped, advocating instead a focus on understanding disparities and outcomes for specific ethnic groups.

The government agrees. Its response to the Commission’s report, ‘Inclusive Britain’, was published on 17 March 2022. This sets out a ground-breaking action plan intended to tackle negative disparities, promote unity and build a fairer Britain for all. It also includes a commitment to no longer use the term ‘BAME’ in government.

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