Sector coalition urges chancellor to restore adult learning funding
It has called to invest in outreach and learner support to help older adults, those out of work and people in rural or underserved communities overcome barriers to participation
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A coalition of 13 organisations from across the lifelong learning and skills sector, including the University and College Union (UCU), has urged the chancellor to prioritise investment in adult and community education in the Autumn Budget, warning that continued underfunding threatens both the economy and social inclusion.
The Right2Learn (R2L) campaign, based at Ruskin College in Oxford, brings together partners from the further, higher and adult education sectors to champion the right to learn throughout life.
Following cuts to England’s Adult Skills Budget in spring 2025, the coalition has written to the chancellor calling for an end to the long-term decline in adult learning funding.
The R2L campaign and its partners are calling for the government to:
- restore adult education funding to 2010 levels, as proposed by leading sector bodies
- protect funding for community learning to ensure it reaches disadvantaged groups and areas
- invest in outreach and learner support to help older adults, those out of work and people in rural or underserved communities overcome barriers to participation.
Signatories to the open letter include the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), Coalfields Regeneration Trust, HOLEX, Learning and Work Institute, Lifelong Education Institute, National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), 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, wellbeing and reduce crime.”