Adults in Cumbria to benefit from £2.3m funding towards improving maths skills

People who improve their numeracy skills are more likely to be in employment, have higher wages, and better wellbeing. Credit: Cumbria County Council

Adults in Cumbria who want to improve their numeracy skills will soon be able to join free courses to help boost their job prospects.

Known as Multiply, the free courses will be administered by Cumbria County Council, thanks to a £2.3 million award from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Aimed at adults who do not have a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in maths, the Multiply courses will offer an opportunity to improve their numeracy through free flexible courses that fit around their lives.

People who improve their numeracy skills are more likely to be in employment, have higher wages, and better wellbeing.

Around 17 million adults in England – half of the working-age population – have the numeracy skills of primary school children. Poor numeracy skills can hold people back from having the confidence to get on in life and into work.

The free courses will be available to Cumbrian residents on either a part-time or intensive basis and will be offered in flexible settings across the county.  

Local employers will also benefit from the scheme. Courses and activities can be tailored to meet the numeracy needs of their employees and business, at no cost to them.  Potential students and employers interested in searching courses and providers available can find more information online.

Deborah Earl, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member for Public Health and Community Services, said: “With the cost-of-living crisis, every penny counts for many households across the county. Therefore, managing our money is so much more effective if we have a basic understanding of numbers."

James Wright, Multiply Lead for Right2Work, said: “Basic maths is at the heart of so many things – through the Multiply programme we aim to highlight a variety of key areas it touches upon within our daily lives.”

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