Can the UK Afford to Ignore Numeracy? 

Since the Government’s announcement in February 2025 removing the mandatory element of Maths and English in apprenticeships, there appears to be the development of a worrying trend that Maths and English are no longer a high priority, particularly in the Post 16 Education Sector and apprenticeships. 

But research is clear, and in this article Christine references the Essentials of Numeracy publication from National Numeracy, shares the lessons from the report and examines why they are still so relevant for providers, employers and policymakers today.

Lessons from The Essentials of Numeracy

 “49% of working-age adults in England have numeracy skills no higher than those expected of a primary school child.”

That’s 17 million people – the cost to the UK economy is estimated at £20 billion a year. Poor numeracy doesn’t just show up in classrooms or exams; it impacts individuals’ finances, career progression, wellbeing and our national productivity.

The Essentials of Numeracy report from National Numeracy remains one of the clearest reminders that improving maths skills is about much more than qualifications. It’s about everyday numbers for everyday life; and it’s about building a workforce and a society where confidence with numbers is seen as normal, not optional.

Numeracy Skills: The Scale of the Problem

Despite significant investment in education over the past two decades, numeracy levels among adults remain stubbornly low. Government statistics show that nearly half of working-age adults in England lack the numeracy skills we’d expect of an 11-year-old.

For individuals, this translates into an average annual loss of £460 through poorer wages and financial capability. At a national level, it’s a £20 billion drag on productivity.

While literacy has seen real gains, numeracy has barely shifted. Why? Because poor numeracy often remains hidden. Adults can mask their lack of confidence with numbers far more easily than their reading or writing, and employers may not even realise the extent of the issue within their own workforce.

“Poor numeracy is a waste of human and economic capital that we simply can’t ignore.”

Attitudes and Anxiety with Numeracy: The Socially Acceptable Barrier

Perhaps the most insidious barrier is cultural. In the UK, it remains socially acceptable to say, “I’m rubbish at maths.”

This mindset drives maths anxiety – a real, measurable factor that leads adults to avoid courses, drop out of apprenticeships and sidestep promotion opportunities. In workplaces, staff may avoid responsibilities, take longer routes to complete tasks, or simply feel excluded from progression opportunities because of a fear of numbers.

The Essentials of Numeracy report makes it clear: unless we tackle attitudes, we will not see progress. Confidence grows not only through skill development but also through reframing how people see themselves as learners.

In my own work with providers, I see this daily: learners who enter convinced they “can’t do maths” often make the fastest gains once they are supported with contextualised, relevant and confidence-building approaches.

Numeracy Skills Beyond Qualifications: Life Skills vs Exams

A GCSE certificate does not guarantee numeracy.

The Essentials of Numeracy report highlights that many people with a GCSE grade 4 (old Grade C) or above still fail when tested on everyday numeracy tasks. Examples include:

• Working out a 5% pay rise.
• Comparing interest rates or mobile contracts.
• Budgeting for household costs.

These are life skills, not exam skills. And yet, our system continues to measure Maths largely through qualifications, rather than through functional confidence with numbers.

This is why contextualisation matters so much. When we embed Maths into real contexts – care planning, financial services, IT, sustainability, learners see its relevance, and confidence grows. Passing an exam might open a door, but numeracy skills unlock opportunities for life:

“Passing an exam does not guarantee confidence with numbers.”

Numeracy: A Workforce and Productivity Issue

Poor numeracy isn’t just an education problem. It’s a workforce and productivity issue.

Case studies from the report are striking:

• In the NHS, errors with fluids and dosages meant longer patient stays.
• Apprentices dropped out because they feared the Maths component.
• In hospitality, 91% of surveyed staff had numeracy levels below Level 2 (equivalent to a GCSE pass).

In all sectors, poor numeracy led to mistakes, inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Staff avoided key responsibilities, leaving pressure on colleagues. Businesses lost money through errors, longer task times and reduced productivity.

For employers, this is not a “nice to have” issue. Numeracy is as critical as literacy for safe, effective and efficient workplaces.

The Essentials of Numeracy Framework

One of the strengths of the report is its clarity in defining what numeracy actually means. It’s not about algebra or trigonometry. It’s about “simple maths in complex situations”.

The Essentials cover four areas: 

• Numbers
• Operations and Calculations
• Handling Information
• Shape, Space and Measures.

But crucially, the model is about attitudes as much as numeracy skills. Building what the report calls Mathematical Resilience involves three elements:

• Value – recognising the benefits of everyday Maths
• Belief – understanding that ability is not fixed
• Effort – accepting that everyone struggles to learn, but persistence pays off.

This growth mindset approach is essential. Numeracy skills aren’t innate, they can be improved with support, encouragement and relevant contexts:

“Good numeracy is within the grasp of virtually everyone – with the right support.”

What This Means for Providers and Employers

For training providers, the message is clear: numeracy must not be treated as a bolt-on. Embedding Maths into vocational learning; from digital and professional services to care and construction, is part of delivering high-quality provision. It aligns with Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework, the Matrix Standard and the Gatsby Benchmarks.

For employers, recognising numeracy as a productivity lever is critical. It’s not just about corporate social responsibility or offering apprenticeships. It’s about ensuring staff can confidently manage budgets, data, schedules and responsibilities that underpin day-to-day business success.

And for learners, confidence with numbers is not optional. It’s a life skill that underpins employability, financial wellbeing and progression.

A Call to Action: A National Effort towards Numeracy

The Essentials report ends with a call to action and it’s one we should keep alive today:

• Government must focus not just on schools, but on the “forgotten half” of adults whose numeracy limits their prospects.
• Employers must recognise poor numeracy in their own workforces and act to address it.
• Providers must integrate numeracy into programmes, not treat it as an add-on.
• Individuals must challenge their own “can’t do” beliefs and take advantage of resources like the National Numeracy Challenge.

At a time when the UK faces major productivity challenges, the evidence is clear: investing in numeracy is not just the right thing to do for individuals it makes good business sense.

Closing Thoughts

The Essentials of Numeracy report may have been published several years ago, but its insights remain highly relevant. The cost of poor numeracy is measured not only in pounds but in lost potential, reduced confidence and limited opportunities.

We cannot afford to let numeracy sit in the shadows of literacy or qualifications. We need a national effort, across education, employers and policy to make everyday Maths meaningful, relevant and accessible.

In my own work, I’ve seen the difference it makes when providers and employers take this seriously: learners grow in confidence, workplaces become more effective and people discover that “I’m rubbish at Maths” doesn’t have to be a lifelong label.

Good numeracy really is within reach for everyone – and it’s time we treated it that way.

Get in touch to explore how I can support your organisation with contextualised Maths, English and Digital Skills.