To help you talk about the WEA, we’ve put together an advocacy pack, which tells the story of the WEA. 

This includes a slideshow with information on who we are, the work we do, and the impact it has on a local, regional and national level.

We've even included a script to help you in the notes section.  

You can use this pack to talk to your friends and family, or when meeting with someone you think should know about the WEA - including local politicians.

Click here to find a template letter to help you write to your local MP. 

When you are talking to a stranger (at a networking event, in a husting, or yes, in an elevator), and they ask, "What’s the WEA?” or “Why should I choose to learn with the WEA” or “Why fund learners to study with the WEA?” would you know what to say? 

In situations like these, you need a short, snappy, easy-to-grasp explanation. The person you are speaking with might turn out to be a future learner, or be able to influence education funding policy or funding decisions, or know someone who is. 

Here’s our suggestions, but don’t be frightened to share your own personal experience, if you think it would appeal to your audience. Importantly, it would be worth exploring their interests and motives before diving in – if you have time! 

The WEA have developed a management framework to support and enhance our relationship with our subcontractors. Our handbook (which you can download below) provides an insight into our requirements, how the WEA will support your organisation with access to information, and how we intend to work together to ensure that we meet the goals and aims of your educational provision agreement.

Other documents for subcontractors are also available for download:

• Subcontractor fees policy for 2025/2026
   
• Subcontractor payments for 2022/2023
• Subcontractor payments for 2021/2022
• Subcontractor payments for 2020/2021
• Subcontractor payment for 2019/2020

The members of the Board of Trustees of the WEA, who are the Trustees of the charity, and Directors and Members of the Company, have pleasure in submitting the report and accounts for the year ended 31 July 2025.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the attached financial statements and comply with the charitable company’s Articles of Association, applicable law and regulations, and:

• Have been properly prepared in accordance with UK accounting standards, including FRS102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland and with the 2019 Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting for Charities; and
• Meet the requirements of the ESFA funding agreement and College Accounts Direction published in March 2025.  

The report has been prepared in accordance with Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011 and also constitutes a directors’ report as required by section 418 of the Companies Act 2006.

The governance arrangements are explained in more detail in the Structure, governance & management section on page 25.

Historic copies of the WEA Trustees report can be found on Companies House.

We can’t imagine a time when the WEA could be more needed than today as the UK adjusts to living with COVID-19 and recovers from the economic and social impact of lockdowns and the war in Ukraine. The need for adult learning which is within reach, within every community, couldn’t be greater.

We are here for those adults

Our classes help develop skills for life, skills for jobs and skills to cope with social isolation and improve physical and mental health. We want to give everyone opportunity, and make sure no one is left behind. To do this, we need to be agile, responsive, and imaginative in the way we use the funds entrusted to us.

The WEA receives and manages substantial public and charitable funding, from newly devolved combined authorities, from central government and via a range of other sources. The priorities of our funders are changing. The UK Government is committed to lifelong learning and investing in education, but its focus is significantly on higher level skills for jobs, to the exclusion of anything else for reducing investment in other important outcomes. Devolved authorities and the Scottish Government are also focussing on this area.

We also know we need to seek and secure funding for the important courses we deliver which fall outside of those priorities. The critical role of more basic skills training, or the role other subjects play in building confidence, supporting mental health and enticing adults back into education, is not well understood. We are confident that this strategy will help us navigate the next three years. And, we are determined to ensure that we provide value for money, making every penny go as far as we can, so that as many people as possible benefit from the life-changing learning we provide.

Learn more by downloading the WEA strategy below.

The WEA is focused on creating a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Our employees are the heart of our organisation, and our commitment to gender equality is one of the key principles we drive within our team.

What is the gender pay gap?

The gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men and women as a proportion of average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men’s earnings.

Median pay gap

The median pay gap is the difference in pay between the middle-ranking woman and the middle-ranking man.

Mean pay gap

The mean pay gap is the difference between a company's total wage spend per woman and its total spend per man. The number is calculated by taking the total wage bill for each and dividing it by the number of men and women employed by the organisation.

Pay gap v equal pay

The gender pay gap is not the same as unequal pay. Unequal pay is giving women less than men for the same work. That has been against the law since the Equal Pay Act was introduced in 1970.

A company's gender pay gap can also be caused by other things - for example, fewer women in senior or highly-paid roles or more women in part-time jobs.

We publish our report every year, you can find the latest report below.

Did you know the WEA is a charity? 

Since 1903, our charitable aim has been to see that no adult is denied access to education on the basis of social, economic or personal disadvantage.

But to do that, we need your help.

There are many ways you can support the WEA, be it making a donation or fundraising for us to becoming an ambassador and spreading the word about our good work.

Click on one of the buttons below to find out more. Thank you.

The Workers Education Association (WEA) has been appointed to manage and administer the Skills for Londoners Community Outreach Programme on behalf of the Mayor of London.

The Mayor is committed to making the London adult education system more accessible. This will help all Londoners benefit from the opportunities this great city has to offer.   

To address this, the Mayor has launched the Skills for Londoners Community Grants Programme.

The Mayor is offering grants between £5000 to £9000 for community groups for outreach activities to support Londoners most in need of adult education. 

Thank you for your interest in the Community Outreach Grants. The application period has now closed and we are no longer taking applications.  

We will share the list of successful applicants once the grants have been awarded.  Again, thank you for your interest.

Multiply is a government-funded programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills.

Individuals aged 19 and over who don’t have maths GCSE at grade C (Grade 4 and above), can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build confidence with numbers and gain a qualification.

A number of local authorities have commissioned the WEA to provide high-quality numeracy teaching to adults. Our Multiply Online programme is an online course that builds learners' confidence and maths skills to progress onto our accredited functional skills qualifications.

Our Multiply course design means that learners can study in the comfort of their own homes, whenever suits them and at their own pace. Each learner is assigned a dedicated numeracy coach to offer support, guidance and help to ensure every learner achieves their goals.

The courses are designed to develop maths skills that can be applied to daily life. From improving household finances, improving job outcomes or helping the children do their homework, learners gain numeracy skills that matter to them.

To find out more about our innovative approach to learning Maths for Adult learners please click on one of the links below and/or contact us at [email protected].