KPMG Chair: We can only tackle social mobility once we confront falling numeracy levels
Numeracy skills are vital to us all, whether at work or simply helping us to navigate daily life, like managing money. Despite this fact, far too many people are lacking in confidence where our maths ability is concerned. In fact, nearly half of the UK’s working population has the expected numeracy level of a primary school child.
Not only does this have real consequences for the individuals concerned – leaving them more vulnerable to debt, unemployment or fraud – but it severely hinders Britain’s productivity too.
Poor numeracy is estimated to cost our economy a staggering £25 billion a year, so this is as much a business issue as it is a societal one. As our country looks to recover from the pandemic, it’s clear that improving numeracy skills will play a key part in helping us to build back stronger. That’s especially true if we are to ensure that those least advantaged in society aren’t left behind.
Numeracy is an essential piece of the puzzle which will boost social mobility in the UK. There are significant efforts across the public and private sector to ensure there is a more diverse pool of talent. This must be supported by an increased awareness of the challenges facing Britons’ numeracy skills. We’ve all read about the growing concerns over pupils’ literacy and numeracy levels regressing after months of school closures and discrepancies between remote learning. But it’s not just children we need to be worried about.
Nearly two-fifths of Brits feel anxious using numbers, according to our research. Over a quarter, almost 30 per cent, admit to avoiding situations involving maths. After months of home schooling, parents have felt particularly exposed after trying to help with their children’s homework. Nearly two thirds of parents were worried about their numeracy skills and many found maths the hardest lesson to tackle.
We must successfully instil confidence and competence in everyone’s mathematical ability. This is not just about school education. We have to debunk the myth that if you are “bad with numbers”, there is no way to improve.
Numeracy is a skill like any other. Some are naturally better at it than others, but everyone can learn it. It has a huge knock on effect on everything from career paths and household budgets to helping your children with their homework.
Since the first National Numeracy Day in 2018, more than 100,000 people have taken steps to improve their numeracy. Over 2,400 organisations across business, government and civil society have also committed to champion the national day to push the movement forward. At KPMG, we are passionate about numbers and have been working hard to raise awareness about how crucial a skill numeracy is.
There are no simple solutions or quick fixes. But we all have a vested interest to turn the dial. Improving your everyday maths does not have to be a gruelling task, only done at the behest of school teachers. A coalition of businesses, policy makers and education leaders must all be part of the solution to enable greater social mobility, as well as a more prosperous and fairer economy.