The Big Number Natter

Whether you love it or loathe it, everyone has something to say about maths! In a country where being bad at maths is often a boast rather than an embarrassment, The Big Number Natter aimed to become the UK’s first ever nationwide conversation about the numbers we need in everyday life, for home, work and school.

We wanted to get the nation nattering about how numbers make them feel in a bid to make maths less scary, reveal its relevance to everyday life, challenge the ‘bad at maths boast’ culture and inspire people to take positive action. It’s a crucial time to tackle low numeracy: 49% of the UK’s working-age population have the expected numeracy levels of a primary school child, making them more vulnerable to debt, unemployment, poor health and fraud – all exacerbated by the Covid-19 and cost-of-living crises. But many adults with low numeracy don’t think maths is relevant to their lives and wouldn’t dream of taking a course. So, we wanted to provide a gateway into the subject; and opening up a conversation, embracing the negative as well as the positive, was an authentic place to start.