CHILDREN in the south west are struggling to work out the best supermarket deals according to a study from Swindon based Nationwide.

When asked a simple sum to work out how much change they would receive when they pay £100 for £64.23 worth of shopping, only 41 per cent of 2,000 youngsters in Year 8 and Year 9 – aged between 12 and 14 – could give the correct answer of £35.77.

But even adults struggle to answer the same questions on supermarket deals and mobile phone packages, highlighting growing concern about numeracy levels in the country.

To tackle the numeracy shortfall, Nationwide is bringing in a series of programmes for young people and children to help them to deliver their financial and numerical learning.

Stephen Uden, the head of citizenship at Nationwide, said: “We’re not talking about anything complex here, yet our research suggests that gaps developed in the crucial early years of understanding leave young people unequipped for everyday situations in later life, including how to make the most of their money.

“When people think about maths they think about complex calculations rather than the kind of skills they can learn everyday.

“We want our customers to be able to choose the best mortgage and the best kind of accounts.”

To test your numeracy skills try out the tests online.