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In this article, the authors present a wider definition of learning that does not mean just the highest qualifications achieved in school, but lifelong learning. They note the substantial evidence that learning is very important for people's lives and that the skills people develop through wider forms of educational provision are key for a large number of social outcomes. Despite this evidence, investment in adult education remains low in the UK, particularly amongst those with low income, low skills or low prior education, suggesting that there may be barriers to the realisation in the UK of a model of lifelong learning that recognises that people need to come in and out of learning throughout their lives and need support for doing so. In the remainder of the paper, the authors set out four types of political and research barriers. They conclude that there is strong evidence that adult education benefits communities and society as well as individuals. Therefore, adult learning can lead to an increase in the economic and social productivity of a nation.