And finally…maths anxiety holding back millions

The charity behind the event, National Numeracy, along with founding supporter KPMG and lead supporters Education Scotland and the Scottish Government, are hoping the event will raise awareness of the many benefits of good numeracy and help people feel more confident improving their skills.

The research carried out online by YouGov on behalf of National Numeracy, surveyed over 11,000 people and revealed that almost half (40 per cent) of adults in Scotland have struggled with everyday tasks involving numeracy, whilst 34 per cent have found these tasks to be stressful due to the maths involved.

The tasks they struggled with most included calculating exchange rates on foreign currency (14 per cent), working out how an annual percentage change affects the payment due on a loan or credit card repayment (15 per cent) and working out the return on the odds for a bet/ sporting event (15 per cent).

Heather Reid, OBE, Meteorologist & Education Consultant is an official ambassador for National Numeracy.

She said: “Maths has been a huge part of both my education and professional life. However, I also know that many of my friends, and indeed a significant chunk of the general public don’t feel the same way about maths and numeracy. But as we properly embrace a digital economy, along with all the advantages for future generations and society, we are in desperate need of a change in public attitude towards maths. It will not only increase people’s chances of a well-paid job but will also give them the tools they need to feel more confident getting a better deal on their personal finances, and hopefully reduce the anxiety associated with these everyday tasks involving numbers. I am delighted we are celebrating a National Numeracy Day in the UK today and I’d encourage everyone to have a go at taking National Numeracy’s online assessment tool to inspire them to start their journey towards improved numeracy skills.”

Despite admitting to struggling with everyday numeracy tasks, the majority of people don’t identify themselves as being poor at maths. In fact, many of us may be overestimating our numeracy skills, with 65 per cent of those surveyed in Scotland rating their numeracy as good or excellent – in contrast to a recent Money Advice Service report which suggests that at least 18.5m working age adults have poor or low numeracy levels.

Mike Ellicock, chief executive of National Numeracy, said: “We know from experience that attitudes have a huge role to play in holding people back from improving their numeracy skills, with many people telling us they are just not ‘numbers people’ or that they don’t believe they need to improve. However, we believe that many of us are just getting by when we could be getting ahead: earning more, saving more and doing the things we love better. Simply by getting a better grip on our numbers.”

When it comes to attitudes to improving numeracy, just a third (33 per cent) of people surveyed in Scotland said they would like to improve – and for those that said they didn’t, it was because almost two thirds (64 per cent) didn’t think they needed to and 31 per cent didn’t see how it would benefit them. But the benefits of good numeracy are clear; both for individuals and the wider economy.

Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney said: “I am passionate about improving numeracy in Scotland as it is vital to our economy and being able to compete in the global marketplace. That is why I fully support National Numeracy Day and its ambition to transform public attitudes towards maths. It chimes with the Scottish Government’s work to build people’s confidence in their own numeracy skills, through my school holiday challenges, for example, or support for adult learning provided by Community Learning and Development partners.”

The survey showed that one in five (20 per cent) in Scotland admitted to making a mistake with numbers at work, while 5 per cent have felt stressed due to the maths involved in their jobs. Just 3 per cent of workers say they have been given training and support by their employer to improve their numeracy.

Catherine Burnet, senior partner for KPMG in Scotland, said: “No matter which industry or job you work in, as you move up the career ladder, you will become involved in making financial decisions and eventually may be responsible for budgeting and financial planning. So even if your chosen career doesn’t involve numbers at first glance, good numeracy will still be really important to help you achieve your future goals.

“KPMG is backing National Numeracy Day because whilst the UK has made progress on improving literacy levels, numeracy levels have gone backwards. Right now, those without good numeracy get held back in all areas of life and we want that to change. The first step is to debunk the myth that if you are ‘bad with numbers’ you can’t improve because that’s not the case. I’d urge anyone who isn’t confident in their ability when it comes to numbers to go online and try the National Numeracy Challenge tool.”

National Numeracy Day is being run by UK charity National Numeracy and KPMG, with support from Cisco, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Experian, Education Scotland & the Scottish Government, Health Education England (NHS), M&G Investments, Ns&I, Provident Financial Group, NatWest, TP ICAP, Ufi Charitable Trust and Virgin Money.