The present state of adult education is perilous, as all readers of "Adults Learning" will know well. All sectors are damagingly affected by funding decisions, as witnessed by the large numbers of organisations and providers represented at the recent Parliamentary lobby by the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL). The damage to adult learning in the higher education sector is the direct result of the now infamous "ELQ" (equivalent or lower qualification) ruling by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), which excludes from eligibility for funding in effect any student who has, in the past, taken a degree or other higher education qualification, never mind how long ago or in what subject. The withdrawal of funding for students studying for an ELQ has created a near "perfect storm" for university lifelong learning. The author argues that the Government should reverse the decision and allow higher education lifelong learning centres to focus on more than just survival.