A new league table from the National Numeracy charity ranks Parliamentary constituencies according to how well residents have done in standardised maths quizzes, revealing stark inequalities in maths skills according to region.
The UK's least numerate areas have been revealed, with the run-down constituency of Liverpool Walton ranked bottom. Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, leafy Richmond Park in West London came top – followed by Ruislip Northwood and Pinner, also in the capital.
A new league table from the National Numeracy charity reveals stark inequalities in maths skills according to region. Researchers ranked Parliamentary constituencies according to how well residents had done in standardised maths quizzes. To try your hand at some of the questions, use our interactive quiz below. The research shows some of the poorest areas of the country are the worst at maths, including Easington, in County Durham, home to a cluster of former mining towns.
Also ranked at the bottom are Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, in Yorkshire, and nearby Kingston upon Hull East. They are joined by Belfast West in Northern Ireland, and two areas of Wales – Rhonda and Ogmore and Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney. It comes after previous research showed around half of working-age adults in the country are estimated to have the numeracy level expected of a primary school child.
In addition, a quarter of people leave school without a standard pass in maths GCSE. The National Numeracy Index is released today as the charity warns of a 'crisis' in the country's maths skills. National Numeracy's ambassador, broadcaster and mathematician Bobby Seagull, said: '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. ' The analysis ranks all 650 parliamentary constituencies and 8,390 wards across the UK.
Worst areas for maths • 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 Best areas for maths • 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 Every ward within the bottom 10 constituencies falls into the lowest numeracy category, according to the research.
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 still ranked 87 places from the bottom.
Meanwhile, at the top of the table, all 10 constituencies are all in the South East, and either in London or the suburban areas surrounding it. These also include Cities of London and Westminster, Wimbledon, and Chesham and Amersham in Buckinghamshire – one of the only remaining grammar school areas. The researchers said that across both numeracy confidence and skills, affluence and gender emerged as the strongest predictors of outcomes.
Women consistently reported lower levels than men and scores increased steadily with higher levels of affluence. Ahead of National Numeracy Day, the charity 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. Sam Sims, National Numeracy chief executive, said: '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.
' According to the charity, 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. Mr Seagull added: '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. '
National Numeracy Charity Maths Skills Regional Inequalities Standardised Maths Quizzes Affluence And Gender National Numeracy Day
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