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There are many adults in [Great Britain] who have low levels of literacy and numeracy skills - young and old, in and out of work, with and without children - who are trying to live their lives without the skills that many people take for granted. This low level of literacy and numeracy among adults needs to be tackled, not least for those adults who may be trapped in a cycle of either low-skilled jobs or unemployment. The Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee at the House of Commons explored why the issue of low literacy and numeracy skills has failed to previously be addressed adequately, and what more the government could do to help improve standards in reading, writing and maths for adults across the country.

This report outlines: the measurements used to define the level at which adults are in literacy and numeracy; the people who teach literacy and numeracy, including organisations, charities and volunteers, and how easy it is to find out about this help and how it is financed; the work done on raising literacy and numeracy skills in the Army, in prisons, and for homeless people; how learning can be carried out within communities and in the workplace; and the different people working in the government who are involved in raising and supporting this issue.

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