The incidence and outcomes associated with the late attainment of qualifications in the United Kingdom

Although there are some estimates of the incidence of late learningFootnote1 and the economic rewards achieved by those in possession of formally recognised qualifications, little is known about the personal or family characteristics associated with those engaged in late learning, the associated costs and benefits, or even whether the type of qualification or the method by which the qualification is undertaken is important. This paper illustrates that approximately one in three of the hours of education and training received by working‐age individuals in the United Kingdom are attributable to late learners. The implication of these findings is that even though there is no earnings payoff from undertaking late learning, there may be benefits in the form of improved labour market outcomes and that lifelong learning appears crucial in counteracting the obsolescence of existing education and training. The paper also illustrates that ‘learning leads to learning’.