The shops are full of discount signs as the January sales begin, but as many as one in four adults in England may have trouble working out just how much '25% off' actually is, or if they are being given the correct change, according to City College Plymouth.

The Get On campaign, which encourages people to improve their reading, writing and maths, found that up to 6.8 million adults do not have the maths skills expected of an 11-year-old and would struggle with practical everyday sums, such as working out percentage discounts and calculating correct change - all of which could lead to problems in the hectic atmosphere of the January sales.

Rachel Seddon, Head of Skills for Life at the College, said: "January is a great time to pick up a few bargains, but if you're not confident with working out percentages or checking your change, you could end up with far less of a bargain than you thought."

"Many people find their skills aren't up to scratch because they don't use them regularly or had trouble picking them up at school. If you are one of the millions of people who needs to brush up on your maths there are thousands of free courses available across the country to help you. Improving your skills can not only make you a better bargain hunter, it can also lead to a better job and help you in many other ways. If you want to boost your maths, call 01752 301301 for a free DVD and advice."

LSC Chairman Chris Banks added: "Making sure you are getting the maths right is an essential part of making sure your sales shopping goes with a swing. Anyone who finds they are struggling in the sales should put brushing up their skills onto their list of New Year's resolutions so they can make sure they are in shape to get the best bargains in the summer sales.

Get On statistics show that 5.2 million adults lack the English skills expected of a 14-year-old and 6.8 million adults do not have the maths skills expected of an 11-year-old. Call City College Plymouth on 01752 301301 to find out about the range of FREE courses that can help you.