Percentages vs Percentage Points: Reading Rates and Statistics Correctly

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About Course

“Interest rates rose by 0.25%” or “unemployment fell 1%”? Confusing percentages with percentage points is one of the most common mistakes in news, adverts and workplace reports. This course explains the difference clearly, shows how to calculate both, and covers related traps such as percentage changes that do not “cancel out”.

Tutwoo is an independent learning provider. This is a general skills course designed to support everyday and workplace English and maths, with reference to the Department for Education’s Functional Skills subject content. It is not an accredited qualification.

© 2026 Tutwoo UK Limited. This course was created in-house by Tutwoo and is our original work. It is for your own learning only: please do not copy, share, record or resell it.

What Will You Learn?

  • Explain the difference between a percentage change and a percentage-point change
  • Calculate percentage-point differences and relative percentage changes
  • Avoid the trap that a rise and fall of the same percentage cancel out
  • Read and write statistics about rates, interest and inflation accurately

Course Content

Course Lessons

  • The key difference
  • Calculating both
  • Other percentage traps

Sources & Further Reading
The official guidance this course is based on.

Final Assessment

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