The nation’s hidden numeracy crisis: The 10 towns and cities with highest and lowest number skills revealed

Research suggests around half of working-age adults have the numeracy levels expected of a primary school child and over a quarter leave school without a Maths GCSE.

Low numeracy costs the UK up to an estimated £25 billion each year, and more than a third of adults experience maths anxiety. This lack of confidence and skills can leave people more vulnerable to debt, unemployment, poor health and fraud.

National Numeracy ambassador, broadcaster and mathematician, Bobby Seagull, said: "Data from the National Numeracy Index shows that numeracy challenges exist in every part of Britain.

"Poor numeracy creates a significant and often lifelong barrier to social mobility, limiting opportunities, career choices and confidence. Having the confidence and skills to use numbers in daily life is essential for navigating work, supporting children with homework and managing money effectively.

"In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, numeracy is becoming even more important, not less. Using your phone for maths is not cheating. National Numeracy actively encourage people to use the tools available to them. But it is also important to have the basics of numeracy in place before reaching for a calculator, so you can understand the calculation, make sense of the numbers and recognise when something does not look right.

While many people assume new technology means we will rely less on numbers, the reality is that we need stronger number confidence and critical thinking skills to question information, spot inaccuracies in data and make sense of the statistics and claims we encounter online every day."

Bobby’s comment comes ahead of National Numeracy Day on May 20 – as the National Numeracy charity is urging Brits to try its National Numeracy Challenge.

New data from the UK Numeracy Index* reveals numeracy inequalities are experienced in towns and cities across the nation – exposing a hidden crisis in our communities.

The analysis, from National Numeracy – the independent charity behind National Numeracy Day – ranks all 650 parliamentary constituencies and 8,390 wards across Great Britain.

Every ward within the bottom 10 constituencies falls into the lowest numeracy category, according to the research. The areas are:

• Liverpool Walton – Merseyside, North West
• Belfast West – Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough – South Yorkshire, Yorkshire and Humber
• Kingston upon Hull East– East Riding, Yorkshire and Humber
• Rhonda and Ogmore – Wales
• Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney – Wales
• Easington – County Durham, North East
• Jarrow and Gateshead East – Tyne and Wear, North East
• Wolverhampton South East – West Midlands 
• Stoke-on-Trent Central – Staffordshire, West Midlands
• The index highlights a stark north-south divide of numeracy skills, with the lowest ranked constituency in the south of England being within the Devon city of Plymouth.

Plymouth Moor View – where eight out of eight wards recorded low numeracy skills – is ranked 87 places from the bottom.

Also in Plymouth is the Sutton and Devonport constituency – where six out of seven wards recorded low numeracy skills – which is somewhat of an outlier, appearing 97 places from the bottom.

Meanwhile, at the top of the table, all 10 constituencies are in the South East, and either in London or the suburban areas surrounding it. These include:

• Richmond Park – London
• Ruislip Northwood and Pinner – London
• Cities of London and Westminster – London
• Wimbledon – London
• Chesham and Amersham – Buckinghamshire, South East
• Esher and Walton – Surrey, South East
• Twickenham – London
• Harpenden and Berkhamsted – Hertfordshire, South East
• Chipping Barnet – London
• Finchley and Golders Green – London

The wider UK Numeracy Index analysis helps explain the contrast between communities in different parts of the UK.

Across both numeracy confidence and skills, affluence and gender emerge as the strongest predictors of outcomes, with women consistently reporting lower levels than men and scores increasing steadily with higher levels of affluence.

These structural factors play out at a local level, creating sharp contrasts between neighbouring communities.

Using ward-level data, the Index shows how numeracy inequality is hiding in plain sight in every constituency, strengthening the case for targeted, local action rather than a one-size-fits-all national approach.

In response, National Numeracy is calling for a more devolved, place-based approach to improving numeracy, giving local and combined authorities greater flexibility to target support where it is needed most.

This National Numeracy Day the charity is urging policymakers, employers and community organisations to focus on practical, community-led solutions that build confidence with numbers in everyday settings.

Sam Sims, National Numeracy CEO, says: "Poor numeracy creates a significant and often lifelong barrier to social mobility, limiting opportunities and career choices. Yet new data from our UK Numeracy Index shows that too many people still don’t feel confident using numbers.  It shows that this challenge exists in every constituency, but is not evenly spread, with stark differences between communities, often just streets apart.

"The data reveals how low numeracy is often hidden within communities, reinforcing that the issue looks different in every postcode.

"That’s why solutions cannot be one-size-fits-all. To be effective, they must be localised and take a whole-community approach that brings together employers, community organisations, and partners across the public and private sectors.

"This National Numeracy Day, we’re calling for local solutions to help people feel confident using numbers in everyday life.  We want a more devolved, place-based approach to improving numeracy. Giving local and combined authorities greater flexibility to target support where it is needed most, so people can thrive at work, at home and in school; whatever their background."

Bobby adds: "This National Numeracy Day, I would encourage everyone, whatever your age or background, to take part in the National Numeracy Challenge and build the confidence and skills to use numbers in everyday life."

Notes to editors

The UK Numeracy Index 

• National Numeracy and data company Experian have combined knowledge and datasets to build the UK Numeracy Index: the first ever model to predict and rank areas of the UK by numeracy skills and confidence. The Index reveals fresh insights into the numeracy issue across wards, local authorities, and regions. This unique and valuable data can be used by policymakers, organisations and local communities to focus their efforts on improving numeracy and boosting social mobility.
• The UK Numeracy Index ranks all 650 constituencies and 8,390 wards in Great Britain.
• Rankings are based on modelled estimates of numeracy confidence and skills.
• “Lowest numeracy category” refers to wards in the bottom 50% of all wards in the UK.

About National Numeracy: National Numeracy is a charity dedicated to helping people feel confident with numbers and using everyday maths. We empower people to thrive by using numeracy to open up opportunities and access brighter futures, targeting communities where the need is greatest. National Numeracy is a registered company (company no: 7886294) and charity (charity no: 1145669). Visit: www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk

About National Numeracy Day: National Numeracy Day on 20 May 2026 is the UK’s only day dedicated to everyday maths. It aims to inspire everyone to have the confidence and skills to work with, and understand numbers, so they can get on in life. One simple step is to try the National Numeracy Challenge. The campaign is run by the UK charity National Numeracy with the campaign’s founding supporter KPMG and supported by an ever-growing list of organisations that believe in improving the nation’s numeracy.