Reading enjoyment at lowest level in almost two decades

New research from the National Literacy Trust shows that over half (56.6%) of those aged 8 to 18 don’t enjoy reading in their free time.

Children’s reading enjoyment in the UK is at an all-time low since the charity began surveying children in 2005, and is down 15.2 percentage points from its height in 2016.

Reading for enjoyment – along with reading levels at school and overall literacy skills – is weakest for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, with over 60% of children on Free School Meals saying they don’t enjoy reading in their free time. With rates of poverty rising, we are in danger of seeing an even greater number of children falling behind their more affluent peers in their education and literacy skills, which can go on to affect them for the rest of their lives. This has already been seen in children’s exams results, with over a third of children on Free School Meals leaving primary school without reaching the expected level of reading.

“Sparking a love of reading can change a child’s life,” says Martin Galway, Head of School Programmes at the National Literacy Trust. “Today’s results must act as a wake-up call for all who support children’s reading for pleasure. A greater focus on reading for enjoyment in the government’s revised Reading Framework (DfE, 2023) offers some measure of hope, but we will need real and immediate impact to change this story for the country’s most disadvantaged children. For children going back to school this September, we need to give them every opportunity possible to fall in love with reading, and to give families and schools the support they need to put reading for enjoyment at the heart of every school and home.”

Interestingly, children who often report not enjoying reading in their free time – boys and children from disadvantaged backgrounds – have higher levels of reading enjoyment when reading in school. Today’s research shows that children are more likely to read if they have a quiet space, access to books that represent them, and support from role models. With 1 in 10 children from disadvantaged backgrounds having no books at home, let alone books that represent them, we can see how access to books, alongside a quiet space to read and support from a teacher and peers, may help children and young less likely to read feel more encouraged to do so in school.

The National Literacy Trust is already committed to several programmes encouraging children to fall in love with reading, including creating more primary school libraries through the Primary School Library Alliance.