Cross-society failure to support early years communication and language development could cost the economy up to £830 million for every year group starting school through the loss of lifetime earnings and increased Government spend, according to a new study.
The research estimates that around 106,000 five-year-olds in England in a single year group did not meet the expected level of literacy, but could have achieved the expected standard if provided with the right support early on.
It has been carried out by Pro Bono Economics (PBE) and commissioned by KPMG UK in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust.
It comes as the National Literacy Trust launches its new five-year campaign, Early Words Matter, which offers early support to 250,000 children in the most disadvantaged areas of the country, while also raising awareness of the critical role the early years play in social mobility.
