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…

People invest £7.3 billion a year and £55 billion worth of time in learning. This is more than the Government and employers invest in learning and skills, but there are stark inequalities between groups. This report provides the most detailed snapshot seen of which groups of adults are investing in learning, and how much, and lays bare stark…

Participation in adult essential skills learning has fallen significantly over the past decade across the UK. In our previous report with the Skills for Life Alliance "Getting the Basics Right: The Case for Action on Adult Basic Skills" (ED618568), we explored the social, economic and health benefits of having a solid foundation in…