Coalition urges chancellor to boost adult education funding in Autumn Budget

A coalition of 13 organisations from across the lifelong learning and skills sector has urged the chancellor to increase investment in adult and community education in the upcoming Budget.

Together they warned that “continued underfunding threatens both the economy and social inclusion”.

The Right2Learn (R2L) campaign, based at Ruskin College in Oxford, has written to the chancellor calling for a reversal of long-term cuts to adult learning. 

The campaign brings together partners from the further, higher and adult education sectors to promote lifelong access to learning.

The appeal follows reductions to England’s Adult Skills Budget announced in spring 2025. In the letter, the coalition calls for a restoration of adult education funding to 2010 levels, protection of funding for community learning, and new investment in outreach and learner support for older adults, jobseekers and people in rural or underserved areas.

Signatories to the open letter include the University and College Union (UCU), Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), Coalfields Regeneration Trust, HOLEX, Learning and Work Institute, Lifelong Education Institute, National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), Right2Learn, The Open University, Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL), University of Salford, WEA, and Deirdre Hughes, director of DMH Associates and legacy fellow of the UK Career Development Institute (CDI).

Professor Graeme Atherton, co-founder of the R2L group and vice-principal at Ruskin College, said: “In order for the chancellor to achieve the government’s ambitions for growth, investment in adult skills is crucial. Funding cuts in this area will make boosting productivity a major challenge and will add to the burden on public services, as adult learning is proven to improve health, well being and reduce crime.”