A new project funded by the Government has been launched which is hoped to improve Dorset adults' numeracy skills.

The courses are open to anyone living in the county who is aged 19 and above and who does not have a maths GCSE at grade C or equivalent.

The programme - called Multiply - is 'crucial in managing budgets' at a time of inflation and rising costs, those in charge of the scheme claim.

Courses can be attended either online or in-person and will be carried out in small informal groups led by professional tutors.

They are being offered across Dorset by the Skills & Learning Adult Community Education group. 

The 'Get Number Confident' classes will include everyday maths skills, managing money and understanding data.

They are designed for people who want to enhance their employability skills by building confidence and improving their maths knowledge for the workplace. 

Multiply programme manager Hannah Ball said: “We are all faced with maths problems every day, in all areas of our lives, from working out our weekly household budget, energy and fuel bills, to finding the best value mobile phone contract tariff. 

“But for many of us maths evokes feelings of insecurity and even anxiety and that’s not surprising, as according to research, almost 50 per cent of us struggle with even basic maths.”

National Numeracy, a charity dedicated to improving the nation’s numeracy skills, says 49 per cent of the UK’s working-age population have the expected numeracy levels of a primary school child.

The group estimates that poor numeracy costs the UK economy £25 billion a year.

Kate Holmes, Multiply learning coordinator, added: “With the cost of living so high, it has never been so important for us to feel able to navigate the cost-of-living crisis and feel more in control of our finances.

“Being more confident with numbers not only has a positive impact on our confidence and our wellbeing in everyday life, it can also make us feel able to support our children better in their education and even aim higher at work by boosting our employability.”

For more details and to sign up for a Multiply course, visit https://www.skillsandlearningace.com/subjects/multiply-free-maths-courses/