Numeracy for Life Committee

LordsSelectest. 27 Jan 2026Email ↗● Actively Monitored
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Sessions analysed10
Commitments14
Positions30
Recommendations48

Latest Signals

05 Mar 2026UK numeracy is held back by stigma and a fixed-mindset cultureUniversity of CambridgeConcern
“[Speaker: Professor Hannah Fry] I think the answer is significantly. A key point here is that this appears to be a problem that is worse in the UK than elsewhere. In terms of low numeracy skills, 57% of people of working age are considered to have low skills, which is below average for an OECD country. I think that the cultural surrounding has to be part of what is contributing to that.”
05 Mar 2026Curriculum prioritises high-end maths over everyday numeracyUniversity of CambridgeConcern
05 Mar 2026Adults struggle with everyday numeracy in jobs, health and financeUniversity of CambridgeConcern
05 Mar 2026Adult learning provision is patchy after schoolNational Numeracy; Academy of the Mathematical SciencesConcern
05 Mar 2026Secondary-school transition is where many pupils fall awayUniversity of CambridgeConcern
05 Mar 2026AI raises the need for number sense and data literacyUniversity of CambridgeConcern
12 Mar 2026KS3 and FE are weaker transition pointsAxiom MathsConcern
12 Mar 2026England has improved, but reform should deepen masteryNational Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of MathematicsPosition

Recent Sessions

View all (10)
16 Jul 2026Numeracy for Life: early years to adult maths
4 commit6 pos4 concern3 rec1 leg
02 Jul 2026Numeracy for Life: culture, schools and adult skills
4 pos5 concern7 rec
25 Jun 2026Numeracy, AI and later-life skills
2 pos5 concern8 rec
11 Jun 2026Skills England, DWP and DfE on numeracy
2 commit5 pos3 concern3 rec1 disag
04 Jun 2026Numeracy for Life: curriculum, FE funding and early years
4 pos4 concern5 rec1 leg
23 Apr 2026Numeracy, debt advice and financial resilience
1 commit1 pos3 concern6 rec1 leg

Recent Commitments

View all (14)

Recent Recommendations

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Frequent Witnesses

Department for Education2× · 22 insights
Richmond Project1× · 9 insights
University of Cambridge1× · 8 insights
HOLEX1× · 7 insights
Santander UK1× · 7 insights
National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics1× · 7 insights

About this committee

Peers on this Lords Select Committee examine numeracy standards and financial capability across the UK population, from school-age children to adults in employment and retirement. The committee takes oral evidence from ministers, practitioners, education specialists, and sector representatives across multiple sessions each month. Recent inquiries have focused on the effectiveness of the government's Multiply programme and wider adult numeracy funding mechanisms, explored how numeracy gaps affect workplace productivity and military personnel readiness, and assessed current mathematics education approaches through its Maths Education Panel. The committee has also examined the relationship between poor numeracy and debt vulnerability, scrutinising how financial advisory services address mathematical deficiencies in their clients. Sessions with witnesses including Fry and Seagull explored specific dimensions of numeracy policy delivery. These investigations feed into recommendations on UK economic productivity and social welfare.