Attacks on funding for adult education must be reversed to save Britain from a skills shortage, lecturers' union UCU warned yesterday.

More 16 to 24-year-olds lack basic skills compared to other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

England came 22nd for literacy and 21st for numeracy in an OECD study of 24 of its members. Northern Ireland fared only slightly better.

Our young people are entering a more demanding jobs market but have the same skill levels as people about to retire, the report warns.

OECD education director Andreas Schleicher was clear young people in Britain have fallen "considerably behind their peers in other countries."

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt pointed out that Westminster invests just 1.4 per cent of GDP into post-16 education compared to the OECD average of 1.7.

She said: "The poor performance is linked to lower investment in post-16 education including in colleges and universities, as well as a culture which makes lifelong learning difficult and expensive for those who need it most."

Tory Skills Minister Matthew Hancock attempted to shift blame for the "shocking" report by claiming that "these are Labour's children."

But teachers' union NASUWT leader Chris Keates said the coalition should "reconsider its damaging and elitist approach to education reform."

"This government's time in office to date has been characterised by deep cuts to education, the denigration of vocational education and the adoption of a narrow curriculum," she said.