Poor Numeracy Reaches Record High

The number of adults with poor numeracy skills has reached 17 million in England alone – very nearly half the working-age population.

The figure has increased by nearly two million over the last eight years (from 47% to 49%) and is a disturbing indictment of national attitudes to numeracy, according to new charity National Numeracy. It far exceeds the equivalent figure for poor literacy – five million adults.

National Numeracy is highlighting largely ignored figures from a 2011 government Skills for Life survey (based on 7,000 adults aged 16-65) which show that one in two adults has numeracy skills roughly equivalent to those expected of children at primary school and may not be able to understand pay and deductions on a wages slip.

This is the first time that an organisation has been set up solely to champion the vital importance of numeracy for people of all ages. National Numeracy seeks to emulate the success of the National Literacy Trust (founded 1993) which has helped transform lives through literacy.

The organisation also revealed the results of a YouGov poll of 2000 adults, which it commissioned last month and which found that, while 80% of adults would be embarrassed to tell someone they were bad at reading and writing, only slightly more than half (56%) would be embarrassed to say they were bad at maths.

Chris Humphries, chair of National Numeracy and former chief executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), said: "It is simply inexcusable for anyone to say ‘I can’t do maths’. It’s a peculiarly British disease which we aim to eradicate. It doesn’t happen in other parts of the world, and it’s hitting our international competitiveness. With encouragement and good teaching, everyone can improve their numeracy."

Graeme Hughes, corporate affairs director at Nationwide Building Society, one of the founding sponsors of National Numeracy, commented: "It is unacceptable that there are so many people in the UK with poor numeracy skills. Not only does numeracy affect employability, but it is also a cornerstone to building financial capability. By investing in National Numeracy and helping to kick start this campaign, we’re hoping to have a real impact on numeracy levels, creating new opportunities for people across the UK."

The new organisation, whose founding sponsors alongside Nationwide Building Society include the Rayne Foundation, Oxford University Press and John Lyon’s Charity, will campaign to change negative attitudes to maths and also work with partner organisations to identify and spread new ways of improving the standard of numeracy.

(GK)