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Our impact: National Numeracy Day 2023

19 Jul 2023

The sixth National Numeracy Day, on 17 May 2023, achieved a transformative level of impact across the UK, outlined in a new report. 

Read the report 

impact report cover

A huge 1.5 million actions have been taken by people to improve their numeracy since the National Numeracy Day campaign began in 2018.

Our 2023 campaign was overwhelmingly our biggest campaign to date. We inspired people across the UK to take 831, 050 actions towards improving numeracy, an 80% increase from last year’s record-breaking campaign.

Together with the campaign's Founding Supporter KPMG, a host of Lead Supporters and Lead Delivery Partners, local authorities, our celebrity Ambassadors, thousands of schools, colleges, organisations and many other friends, National Numeracy Day supported more people than ever to take action to improve their everyday numeracy skills and confidence

831,050 actions taken to improve numeracy for National Numeracy Day 2023 included:

  • 103,280 people taking action on the National Numeracy Challenge  - a 20% increase on last year
  • 705,532 views of our National Numeracy Day videos - a 100% increase on last year
  • 19,809 downloads of our campaign resources - an 18% increase on last year

Other key activity from this year’s National Numeracy Day campaign included:

  • 9,369 individuals, education providers and organisations signed up to get involved, a 95% increase on last year, with 7,339 schools, childcare providers, colleges and higher education providers signed up – a 92% increase on last year.
  • 9,639 Number Heroes Competition entries – over a thousand more than last year
  • 726,152 social media engagements - a 241% increase on last year
  • 356 media mentions - over 100 more than last year - with 53m print and broadcast reach and 208m online readership

A huge appetite in the UK for a day dedicated to everyday numeracy

The scale of this year’s engagement with National Numeracy Day shows there is a genuine grassroots desire from people across the country to boost their numeracy skills.

During a cost-of-living crisis that sees no sign of abating, people recognise that getting on with numbers is a helpful tool in everyday life. Numeracy enables informed decision-making about money and household management, employment and childcare. It aids social inclusion, and boosts access to opportunities. It makes people less vulnerable to debt, unemployment, poor health and fraud. We are proud our award-winning campaign sets children and adults on a path to improved numeracy that makes a real difference from cradle to career.

Sam Sims, National Numeracy Chief Executive said: “National Numeracy Day 2023 has shown beyond all doubt there is a huge appetite in the UK for a day dedicated to everyday numeracy. Our unique campaign is growing rapidly; it's now ten times bigger than just two years ago.  

“We are very grateful for the incredible support of our partners. To the campaign’s founding supporter KPMG, our lead supporters, delivery partners, Ambassadors, the schools and organisations who signed up to support the day and the many people who shared their own maths journey in order to inspire others: a heartfelt thank you.”

Bina Mehta, Chair of KPMG UK, founding Supporter of National Numeracy Day said: “The strength of engagement in this year’s National Numeracy Day has been truly inspiring with over 9,000 businesses, policymakers, schools, charities and other organisations taking action to bolster the nation’s number confidence and ensuring numeracy skills get the attention they deserve.  

“I am so proud that KPMG, as founding partner of National Numeracy Day, is playing its part in raising awareness of this issue, to improve essential skills and drive social mobility across the UK.”
 

Watch the National Numeracy Day 2023 highlights video

See how the campaign inspired the UK to get on with numbers this year!