Lifelong learning has been associated with many benefits, from supporting work and careers to improving health and well being and increasing community engagement. Its importance is growing as longer life expectancy combines with a rapidly changing economy and society. However, participation in learning has fallen substantially since 2010 with large inequalities in access to learning by age, socioeconomic group, region and nation, and prior educational attainment. 

Our ‘Lifelong learning and skills for longer lives report’ sets out the findings of new research by L&W, funded by Phoenix Insights. This research set out to build an evidence base on the employment-related impact of lifelong learning on individuals, employers and the wider economy. The work included an evidence review, employer interviews and analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Study and Longitudinal Education Outcomes datasets to identify the causal impact of learning. 

Key findings include: 

• Lifelong learning was found to increase the likelihood of being in employment within two-and-a-half years of starting. The impact was substantially greater for individuals with no or low prior qualifications. 

• There was a negative impact of learning on earnings for individuals with prior qualifications at level 2 and above, although this is likely just a short term impact. Most studies examined in the evidence review found a positive impact of lifelong learning on earnings in the longer term. 

• Employers highlighted multiple benefits for employers of providing workplace learning, including contributing to employee retention; supporting recruitment; increasing innovation and productivity; and influencing employee morale and wellbeing. 

• Lifelong learning was found to reduce the likelihood of being on benefits within two-and-a-half years of starting. Again, there was a more positive impact for individuals with no or low prior qualifications.