Children’s reading enjoyment levels and daily reading habits have risen for the first time in five years, according to the National Literacy Trust.
The findings come from a UK survey of 125,375 children and young people aged five to 18 between January and March 2026.
More than a third (36.1%) of those aged eight to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time (versus 32.7% in 2025) while a fifth (20.3%) read daily in their free time (versus 18.7% in 2025).
While the increase is relatively small, education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the finding “genuinely fills me with hope”.
This year was dubbed the ‘National Year of Reading’ – and the UK-wide campaign from the Department for Education (DfE) encouraging families to ‘go all in’ and explore their interests through reading seems to be paying off.
“When reading feels relevant and role models get involved, children develop a passion with benefits that go far beyond the classroom,” said Phillipson.
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