Rise in Reading Enjoyment Among Children and Young People
New research indicates that children and young people's enjoyment of reading has increased for the first time since 2021. More than one in three (36.1%) reported liking to read books in their spare time, up from 32.7% in 2025.
Daily reading habits have also improved, with 20.3% of children and young people aged eight to 18 stating they read every day, compared to 18.7% last year.
Research Details and Historical Trends
The study was conducted by the National Literacy Trust (NLT), a charity focused on reading improvement. It surveyed 125,375 children and young people aged 5 to 18 from 479 schools across the United Kingdom.
This marks a reversal after several years of declining enjoyment levels, which began in 2021 when overall enjoyment across all ages was 51.5%. The figures then decreased to 47.8% in 2022, 43.4% in 2023, followed by a sharp drop to 34.6% in 2024 and 32.7% in 2025.
Government Response and National Year of Reading
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who has designated 2026 as the National Year of Reading, commented on the findings:
"For the first time in five years, more children are saying they're enjoying reading, and that genuinely fills me with hope.
When reading feels relevant and role models get involved, children develop a passion with benefits that go far beyond the classroom – but with progress slower for poorer children, we must make sure every child can find a form of reading that speaks to them."
Age Group Variations in Reading Enjoyment
The most significant increases in reading enjoyment occurred among the 14-to-16 and 16-to-18 age groups. In 2025, 28.6% of the 14-to-16 age group reported enjoying reading, which rose to 35% in 2026. The 16-to-18 group increased from 41.4% last year to 49.4% this year.
Children aged five to eight maintained high enjoyment levels at 61.6%, although this represents a slight decline from 62.6% the previous year. The NLT report attributed this decrease to fewer boys in this age range expressing enjoyment of reading.
Socioeconomic Factors and Reading Enjoyment
The research also highlighted a widening gap in reading enjoyment between children who receive free school meals and those who do not. Among free school meal recipients, enjoyment rose slightly from 31% in 2025 to 32.1% in 2026. Conversely, 33% of children not receiving free school meals reported enjoying reading in 2025, increasing to 37.3% in 2026.
Influences on Reading Habits
The NLT study identified key influences encouraging young people to read. Two-thirds (65.8%) were motivated by teachers, while more than half (54.8%) cited their parents as an influence.
Children's author and illustrator Dapo Adeola reflected on the importance of stories:
"Stories are gateways that allow your imagination to take flight through time and space.
Through them, it is possible to escape your surroundings in a myriad of different ways, to connect with people and cultures you may otherwise never encounter in your day to day, to envision a future for yourself that your current circumstances or environment might not point towards."
