A study of FE colleges in the United Kingdom (Basic Skills Agency, 1997) found that there was a stigma attached to poor basic skills, which then became a deterrent to taking up basic skills support. It drew on data from 19 FE colleges on withdrawal, retention, completion and achievement, as well as demographic and student characteristics and basic skills provision within each college. The study follow ed up these students - less than half of them received literacy and numeracy support, while the majority did not get any additional support with basic skills.