Essential Skills: England

Essential skills, including literacy and numeracy, are increasingly crucial for life and work, for business success, and for economic growth. However, the number of adults improving these skills in England has reduced by more than 60% over the past decade as Government investment in skills is set to be £1 billion less in 2025 compared to 2010. As a result, on current trends it would take over 20 years for every adult to get the help they need. To effectively target support through the Adult Education Budget and new programmes such as the Multiply adult numeracy programme, it is important to understand local need. This briefing presents the results of an England-wide data modelling exercise to map the essential skills of adults aged 16 to 64, thought to be the first of its kind. The modelling reveals disparities in essential skills levels within local areas which far exceed those between local and combined authorities across the country. This suggests that not only is there a need for an increased focus on and investment in essential skills as part of a national lifelong learning strategy, but that this must be coupled with a laser-like local focus on targeting provision where it is most needed.