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Funding cuts have halved the number of adult learners in England since 2010 and hit poorer parts of the country hardest, according to new research that highlights the growing skills divide.
Analysis published on Monday by the Learning and Work Institute, a think-tank, found the number of adult learners fell 47 per cent between 2010-11 and 2022-23 to 1.2mn, resulting in 7mn fewer qualifications.
In real terms, the government has cut per capita funding for adult skills by 28 per cent and companies have reduced the amount of investment by 20 per cent per employee over this period, according to the report.
The funding crunch comes as demand for skilled workers grows, with education leaders warning the UK’s poor record on adult education has stunted economic growth and social mobility.
Stephen Evans, chief executive of the LWI, said investing in adult skills was vital to meet future economic challenges.
“Skills really matter for our economy and for people’s opportunities, but those who need the most help are missing out the most,” he said. “There is a rising bar for the skills needed in existing and new jobs but cuts over the past decade mean we have stalled compared to other countries.”
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The report found funding cuts had widened the skills divide in England, with the fall in the number of adult learners in the most deprived areas of the country almost 10 times higher than the decline in the least deprived.
The adult education budget for England was £3.9bn in 2022-23 and is set to rise to £4.3bn in 2024-25. This is one-fifth lower than a decade ago, according to the LWI, which estimates it would cost £1.6bn a year to restore per person funding to 2010-11 levels.
This year the government announced an extra £60mn to create 20,000 new apprenticeships, and boosted support for smaller businesses by doubling the share of funding that large employers can pass on to them to 50 per cent.
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, which represents the sector, said the government needed to expand its further education offering and encourage employers to invest more.
“We need to at least restore the budget that’s been lost in the last 14 years as it is a fundamental brake on economic development,” he said. “Without more investment, employers will increasingly struggle to get the skills they need and millions of adults risk being left behind by the technological revolution.”
The UK has high rates of degree-level attainment but compares poorly with other advanced economies for upskilling people with the lowest qualifications, according to OECD data.
About 19 per cent of UK adults between the ages of 25 and 64 are educated to below GCSE level, compared with 17 per cent in France and 15 per cent in Australia.
The LWI forecasts 13 per cent of UK adults will still have low qualification levels by 2035, compared with just 5 per cent in France and Australia.
The DfE said: “There are a wide range of high-quality training opportunities to support adults to upskill or retrain, including free sector-specific skills boot camps, free courses for jobs, higher technical qualifications, and apprenticeship opportunities.”
