The government has today published the funding allocations each local area will receive for its new Multiply scheme, which aims to improve the numeracy skills of millions of adults.
In total £270 million is being dished out to mayoral combined authorities and local councils in England. Another £160 million will be spread across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Funding allocations for individual areas, which can be used over the next three financial years, have been decided based on “need”, skills minister Alex Burghart said (see full allocations below).
Multiply is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which replaces the European Social Fund. The Department for Levelling Up confirmed today that £2.6 billion will be invested in total in the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – the same level as the ESF – with minister Michael Gove promising the new fund will slash bureaucracy.
The DfE said around 17 million adults in England – half of the working-age population – have the numeracy skills of primary school children.
Multiply, announced at the spending review, will offer adults who do not already have a GCSE grade 4 or higher in maths free “flexible courses that fit around their lives”, a Department for Education spokesperson said today.
Courses are expected to be available this autumn in person or online, at work or at home, and either on a part time or intensive basis.
Employers will be able to team up with the local authorities to deliver “bespoke” programmes to train their staff in a maths GCSE or functional skills qualification free of charge.
Skills minister Alex Burghart said: “Poor numeracy holds people back in their lives and careers. Multiply will be a launchpad for people to progress into better paid jobs that will help our economy grow.
“This £270 million of government funding will unlock potential and level up opportunities for people across the country. We will give this money to local areas based on need so they can find the right solutions for their communities.”
The Greater London Authority will receive the largest allocation for Multiply (£40.1 million), followed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (£16.7 million) and then the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (£14.3 million).
The five local councils receiving the largest chunks of funding are Essex, Kent, Lancashire, Hertfordshire, and Hampshire.
The lowest amounts of funding will go to Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Torbay, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Rutland.
Full allocations can be viewed below (click to enlarge):
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