Last year there was a 24% drop in the number of people aged over 60 taking Further Education courses. On top of this a new ring-fenced budget to 'safeguard' other types of adult education cut spending for over 60s.
These falling levels of older people in further education, and the lack of investment, has been criticised as short-sighted by a new report launched by Age Concern and the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).
Recent evidence on training for workers in their 40s and 50s also makes grim reading. Despite investment in training, there is little evidence that mature workers with low skills have been gaining qualifications.
Learning in Later Life - the public spending challenge makes the case for investing in education for older people in next year's Comprehensive Spending Review. It calls for investing in older workers' training, and for investing in education for those who have retired.
It argues that there are major impacts of failing to invest in training and education for older is damaging for the UK. The underemployment of older people costs the UK economy over £30 billion per year. Education for older people can also have a massive impact on reducing the need for social and health care.
Government policies to help 3.6 million people reach level 2 skill levels (GCSE or equivalent) between 2001 and 2010 is working well for those between 25 and 39. But there has been little reduction in the number of people over 40 who are without level 2 skill levels. The report calls on the Government to 'age-proof' existing policies to ensure they deliver for mature workers, and for modest new funding to remove upper-age limits to a new entitlement to A Level standard education for adults.
Learning in later life contributes to the physical and mental health and wellbeing. It is also associated with increased self-confidence and community activity. But participation in further education for older people is very low. Just 10% of over 75s and 19% of 65-74 year olds have a recent experience of learning. The Government has set a budget to safeguard these services - but it is at a level below the present spending levels. The report argues that these low levels are not inevitable and blames market failures such as inadequate transport and reduced learning opportunities.
Reductions in numbers of courses and other factors have meant that in 2005 there was a 24% fall in the numbers of people in further education aged over 60. The report is calling for a review of the ring-fenced 'safeguard' budget for community learning to establish whether it should be increased to off-set cuts in identical courses previously provided by the Further Education system. It is also calling for pilots to assess how much money could be saved in health and care services by investing in education courses as a way of preventing the onset of ill health.
Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern, said: "Improved education and training in later life can make a massive difference in terms of career options and health in retirement. Falling investment is simply short-sighted.
"We are deeply concerned about the lack of recent improvements in the skill levels of people reaching their 50s. The Government's policy of treating all those over 25 as a homogenous group has not worked. Compared to recent programmes, some of the Governments new initiatives for workplace learning appear to be having more impact on mature workers. But we urgently need to 'age proof' all adult training to ensure it is suitable for the needs of older workers.
"Further and adult education courses for people in retirement can make a significant difference to physical and mental health. In the long-term this reduces pressure on health and care services. Small changes really will make a major difference, and we call on the Government and the Learning and Skills Council to act.
"Learning is a great way to keep the mind active and meet new people. People at any age can benefit from learning and new skills. The Government needs to stop writing older people off."
Alan Tuckett, Director of NIACE, said: "We rely on older workers to keep a myriad of voluntary services on the go in Britain; we need a million older people in the workforce, and increasingly we need them to sustain links between the generations. Since we know learning for longer makes all these things possible, and it adds to the quality of life and keeps you healthy, it is against all our interests to cut provision for older people. As Gordon says, the Government must stop writing older people off." | 
