ES2.1
Adult Learning for Work
Education and Skills
- Training
Adult Learning for Work
What do we mean by “Adult Learning for Work”?
The British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) includes variables related to adult learning, such as whether someone is taking a part-time course, has received a qualification, and the reasons for undertaking the learning.
The Learning and Work Institute says that improving our skills can lead to more freedom, better opportunities, better adaptability in changing times, as well as increasing social mobility, inclusion, and wellbeing.
Adult learning can include lifelong learning, employability skills, life skills, technical education, social skills, or skills and knowledge related to our society. Our MeasureUp value is focused on adult learning for or within a work based context.
Key Value
A monetised social value of £1,100
Monetised social value of undertaking part-time courses for work over the past year for one person.
Where does this headline value come from?
The headline value of adult learning is derived from the estimations made by Dolan and Fujiwara in their 2012 study1. In this research, they explore the relationship between adult learning and well-being. Specifically, they focus on how the benefits of adult learning contribute to both individual and societal well-being. The sample is restricted to individuals aged 18 and over, excluding those currently undertaking full-time education. The study identifies 10 benefits of adult learning:
- Led to a certificate or qualification;
- Enabled you to progress in work or a career;
- Enabled you to improve your knowledge or skills;
- Enabled you to progress into further learning;
- Helped you to feel more confident in being with family and other people;
- Helped to keep your body and mind active;
- Improved your happiness on a day-to-day basis;
- Made you more satisfied with your life overall;
- To become a more confident parent;
- To be able to help your children with school.
The wellbeing valuation step aims to quantify the impact of adult learning on life satisfaction. Essentially, it measures the income equivalent that would result in the same change in life satisfaction as that brought about by participating in adult learning. The data used for this valuation comes from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), a nationally representative sample of over 10,000 adult individuals. Conducted annually between September and December from 1991 onwards, the BHPS collects information on various aspects of respondents’ lives, including income and life satisfaction. Individuals are asked ‘How dissatisfied or satisfied are you with your life overall?’ and then asked to rate their level of satisfaction on a scale of 1 (not satisfied at all) to 7 (completely satisfied).
The study reveals that only one adult learning variable significantly impacts life satisfaction. Specifically, this variable is a binary indicator denoting whether an individual has taken a part-time course to enhance job prospects. The results indicate that participating in a part-time course leads to an increase in life satisfaction by 0.045 index points. We standardize this coefficient based on the assumption that 1 WELLBY corresponds to one person moving 1 point on a 11-point scale for one year due to the policy or program. Given the original coefficient of 0.045, we calculate the adjusted coefficient as 0.045*11/7=0.0707. Applying the recommended rate of £13,000 per WELLBY, the value of adult learning for work is estimated at £919 and rounded to £900 in 2019 prices.
Inflation adjusted value: £1078 rounded to £1100 in 2023 prices. Our approach to inflation adjustments is explained on our Methodology page HERE
Wellbeing value is uplifted to 2023 prices using GDP deflator (fiscal year), and real GDP per capita growth in conjunction with the marginal utility of income elasticity parameter of 1.3 as recommended the Green Book Wellbeing guidance.
The State of Life WELLBY Guide also includes a value for attending a Government funded training scheme using Understanding Society data. The value for one person is stated as £1,008 (or approximately £1000) which adjusted for inflation would give a figure of approximately £1,175. This is a similar value to the one above providing a secondary source giving more confidence in the valuation. We have decided to publish using the lower more conservative figure as a part of not overclaiming value.
Local Needs Analysis Data Source
Before using this MeasureUp value, we encourage you to assess the local need in relation to the activity or outcome.
Here is the most useful initial data source for assessing local need in relation to this value.
To assess local needs related to the value ES2.1 ‘Adult learning for work’, use the Adult Skills data available via the Local Authority Data Explorer. This indicator provides insights into adult participation in skills development and vocational training, helping to identify gaps in lifelong learning opportunities. The data is available for combined authority areas and reflects the situation in 2023/24. It supports understanding of workforce upskilling and access to learning that enhances employability, particularly for adults needing to adapt to changing job markets or re-enter employment.
If you’re just starting out, start with Bronze first. The result of a Bronze measurement is just an estimate, but requires the least effort; whereas Silver, Gold and Gold+ give more accurate results but require more effort.
Each level has an effort to accuracy indicator, choose the one that’s right for you.
Bronze
Effort
Accuracy
Monetised value:
Monetised social value: Multiply the number of people that you expect to attend an adult learning programme for work by £1,100
Silver
Effort
Accuracy
Monetised value:
Monetised social value: Consider realistically what benefits your participants are likely to experience. Then use the more accurate assumption to calculate a more specific value of the adult learning for work.
Gold
Effort
Accuracy
Monetised value:
Monetised social value: Measure actual amounts of difference that adult learning makes to people’s lives. Use the results to more accurately calculate the value to them based on their input.
Gold+
Effort
Accuracy
Monetised value:
At the Gold+ level, you are building on your Gold value calculation by assessing the value against the counterfactual, or ‘what would have happened anyway’.
| Value Type: | Activity |
What's this?
This is the type of value. Some values are outcomes, which means many different interventions might lead to them, others are specific interventions that have a set value. |
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| UN SDG Categories: |
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What's this?
The UN Sustainable Development Goals are global goals adopted in 2015 for all signed up nations to achieve for us to have a sustainable global future by 2030. There are 17 Goals that address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The Goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030. |
| 2020 Social Value Models: |
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What's this?
PPN 06/20 Taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts introduced the Central Government Social Value Model in 2020 which all Central Government contracting authorities must use in their in scope procurements. It consists of 5 themes, 8 policy outcomes, and 24 Model Award Criteria which outline key priority areas to achieve more social value. |
| 2025 Social Value Models: |
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What's this?
PPN 06/20 was superseded by PPN 002 Taking account of social value in the award of contracts, published in February 2025 in line with the Royal assent of the Procurement Act 2023. This PPN outlined the requirement to use the new 2025 Central Government Social Value Model. The Model applies to all Central Government procurements commencing on or after 1 October 2025 under the Procurement Act 2023. Out of scope procurements can choose to apply the model but are not required to do so. The updated model is structured around 5 government missions and 8 outcomes, with 17 Model Award Criteria, and a mandatory minimum 10% weighting of the total evaluation score assigned to social value. |
Evidence
Measure Up focuses on empowering you to numerically measure the impact you’re having. We recommend that numeric reports are backed up with stories and other types of evidence to help illustrate, in human terms, the impact that’s being made on individuals.
We recommend seeking consent from participants in your intervention to collect and tell their story. This should include a little background on the participant, a summing up of life before the intervention, the human impact of the intervention, and the longer term (if known) impact on the person’s life outside of, and after, the intervention.
Providing photographs, audio recordings, video interviews or even artefacts from the intervention (for example, writing, paintings, music from creative interventions) can add more to the story, and convey the emotional impact of interventions more directly.
In some cases it’s appropriate to anonymise or abbreviate the personal information of case study participants. No story should be published or shared without the recorded consent of the individual(s) it concerns. Individuals continue to own the rights to their stories and if they request you stop sharing the story or making it available online you should do so promptly and without need for justification.
Feedback
MeasureUp is open, collaborative and transparent. If you have any suggestions or feedback on our pragmatic, recommended approach to measuring and valuing social value, including wellbeing, economic, and fiscal impact, and effects on our environment, please get in touch so we can share and discuss this at our next Advisory Group meeting.
More help
We want to empower anyone to perform and improve their impact measurement – without needing a degree in economics.
If you need any more help, or just someone to do the legwork for you we can help signpost you to software, training and consultancy to help you get to grips with the impact you’re having and value you are creating.
