Society: Lack of basic skills can mean a miserable life
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Those who leave school without basic skills are heading for unemployment, loneliness and illness, according to a survey published yesterday.
A study for the Basic Skills Agency, carried out by London's City University, found that one in five of 1,700 adults questioned had very low literacy or very low numeracy. Some could not even read aloud from a children's book.
Researchers who tracked the adults from birth to the age of 37 found that it was very difficult for people to make up for a poor start later in life: as many people reported problems at 21 as did so at 37.
Those who had most difficulty with reading and maths were likely to have spent at least three more years out of work, were more than four times as likely to live in a household where neither partner was working and were much less likely to have voted in a general election.
Women with poor skills were five times as likely to be classifed as depressed.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments