Every ten years, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) conducts its survey of adult skills, called the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The survey provides a unique opportunity to compare the literacy skills of adults with other participating OECD countries, as well as observe how these skills have evolved over the last decade.
With the arrival of the latest PIAAC report, published in December 2024, we enlisted our Evaluation Manager Dr Josef Oliver to provide analysis of the findings and how the National Literacy Trust’s organisational strategy serves to address some of the data.
What is the PIAAC report?
The initial report explores data from 31 countries, testing adults aged 16-65 on their literacy , numeracy and problem-solving skills. Of the UK nations, only England participated in the first round of data collection. 4,941 adults in England responded to the survey, and the Department for Education (DfE) published its own report exploring this data in more detail.
How does the PIAAC survey assess adult literacy skills across countries?
The PIAAC survey uses a bespoke tool to assess and compare adult literacy skills globally. Participants are assessed on their ability to access texts of varying difficulty that are often encountered in day-to-day life, reflecting different cultures and the evolving nature of reading in the digital world. For example, those with low literacy skills may struggle to identify the date of an event. You can read more about literacy levels here.
How did England’s adults compare to adults in other countries?
Across the 31 countries participating in the most recent survey, there was a decline in literacy skills compared to the previous PIAAC. Encouragingly, England managed to buck this trend, maintaining a similar average literacy score to ten years prior, and significantly above the OECD average (272 vs 260).
However, the proportion of respondents with very low literacy increased slightly from 2013 (rising from 16.4% to 18%) with particular concerns around those who did not complete upper secondary education. This is a particularly at-risk cohort, for example we know that 90% of young people in prison have experience of exclusion from school. While this increase is less pronounced than in most other participating countries, it also means that approximately 1 in 6 adults in England (6.6 million people) have very low literacy skills.
More positively, among 16- to 24-year-olds, England saw the largest increase in literacy scores compared to the last PIAAC. This chimes with other recent findings showing that reading skills for 10- to 15-year-olds in England, compared to other countries, are at a record high. Simultaneously, however, reading and writing enjoyment and engagement for children and young people aged 8 to 18 showed record lows. This paints a more complicated and concerning picture around reading behaviour and motivation, something that has also been noted in UK adults.
What are the impacts of higher literacy skills?
In England, respondents with higher literacy skills were found to be significantly more likely to report higher levels of life satisfaction, very good or excellent health, higher levels of trust and increased participation in volunteer activities. Often this effect was more pronounced than the OECD average.
What factors contribute to differences in literacy skills?
Age
Most participating countries saw significantly lower literacy scores among older (45- to 64-year-olds) than younger age groups (16- to 34-year-olds). Report authors highlighted the importance of providing opportunities for adults to practice and grow their skills after leaving formal education. England is one of 15 countries where 25- to 34-year-olds have higher literacy scores than 16- to 24-year-olds, evidencing some success in improving literacy scores post formal education. However, by looking at year of birth, significant literacy skill loss over the last ten years was observed for people aged 35-65.
Education
In England, as with all participating countries, literacy skill for those that did not complete upper secondary education is significantly lower than those that completed tertiary education (university or college). This gap in England is largely the same as the OECD average, however literacy levels across the OECD have dropped significantly compared to the previous PIAAC, potentially painting a rosier picture in England than is genuinely the case.
Literacy scores for those that did not complete upper secondary in England were significantly lower than the previous PIAAC 10 years ago. A deeper dive into the latest data is required to get a clearer picture of this issue.
Similarly, there was a significant difference between those whose parents were classified as ‘low-educated’ or ‘highly educated’, albeit one that was around the OECD average. At the same time, the literacy scores for English respondents with low-educated parents were higher than the OECD average.
Gender
In England no significant difference was observed between literacy scores of men and women. Across the OECD, however, women on average had higher literacy scores than men.
Immigration
Immigrant respondents in the UK (classified as foreign born to foreign parents) had a lower literacy score than people who were native born to native parents, however this difference was slightly below the OECD average. Encouragingly, second generation immigrants (native born to foreign parents) showed no significant difference from people who were native born to native parents.
What can we conclude from the PIAAC survey?
The UK government has placed a renewed focus on economic growth as a primary driver of future recovery. Literacy levels are critically intertwined with economic stability and growth. For example, a recent UK study calculated that an average 18-year-old with very poor literacy skills will earn around £33,000 less over their lifetime than one with a basic level of literacy. Conversely, low literacy is linked with poverty and inequality, and struggling with literacy can have a profound impact on an individuals’ mental wellbeing, health and relationships.
While England appears to have done well compared to other OECD countries, there is a worrying global trend of falling literacy levels. In England, adults over 35 and people who did not complete upper secondary education in particular have shown a reduction in literacy skill since the previous PIAAC. For all these reasons, it is essential that we address the foundational importance of building strong adult literacy skills across the population through a cross-sectoral commitment to basic skills.
How we support adult literacy at the National Literacy Trust
Through our organisational strategy, we have identified the three changes (‘breakthroughs’) which would have the biggest impact on our vision for a more equal society, driven by literacy. Among them is that everyone leaving the criminal justice system has improved literacy skills to help them thrive.
Our criminal justice programmes use literacy as a vehicle to improve the wellbeing and confidence of adults and young people within the criminal justice system. Often participants report wanting to engage with other education opportunities as a knock-on effect of these programmes.
Literacy Innovation Fund
- 86% of participants were inspired to write more
- 91% were encouraged to write more
- 90% were inspired to engage with other education opportunities
Readconnect
- 94% of participants were more confident to read stories with their children
- 97% wanted to be more involved in their children’s learning going forward
New Chapters
- 88% of participants were encouraged to write more
- 91% felt better in general after the session
- 87% were inspired to think more about their future
Findings from PIAAC identified that England has particularly poor literacy outcomes for those who don’t complete secondary education. The National Literacy Trust also runs programmes with young people in mainstream and alternative provision schools, equipping them with the literacy skills they need as they approach adulthood. The aims of these programmes range from boosting reading enjoyment to improving media, financial or workplace literacy
Empower
- Twice as many participants could spot a fake news story after completing the programme
Words that Count
- 9 in 10 participants had an increased understanding of how to manage their money
Represent
- Participants had increased confidence in their reading skill
- Participants had improved self confidence and wellbeing
Words for Work
- 62% felt confident in a job interview
- 68% felt confident sharing their opinions with a group