The UK's Reading Habits Have Been Counted - Here's What We Found

The UK's Reading Habits Have Been Counted - Here's What We Found

Something quietly significant happened at the London Book Fair earlier this year. For the first time ever, the UK conducted a full reading census — a panoramic look at how adults and children across the country actually engage with books. Not just whether they can read, but whether they want to, what gets in the way, and what might help.

The findings are fascinating, a little concerning in places, and — we think — genuinely hopeful.

So, what did they find?

The research, commissioned by the National Year of Reading and carried out by market researchers Savanta, involved reviewing 22 UK studies, focus groups, interviews, and a survey of over 6,000 adults and children aged 10 and up. The headline? Most people actually like the idea of reading. Attitudes towards books are broadly positive. The desire is there.

The problem is everything else getting in the way.

The top barriers to reading, according to the research:

  • Getting distracted (40% of respondents)
  • Lack of time (29%)
  • Difficulty concentrating (24%)
  • Preferring to watch or play things (21%)
  • Not finding anything they want to read (18%)
  • Preferring to spend time on their phone (18%)

Sound familiar? It does to us too.

The reading gap in children

This census builds on alarming data from the National Literacy Trust, which found that fewer than a third of children and young people — just 32% — said they enjoyed reading "very much" or "quite a lot" in 2025. That's a 36% drop in reading enjoyment since 2005.

The decline is sharpest among boys aged 11–16, and even among younger children, the picture is worrying: only three in five children aged five to eight said they enjoyed reading in their free time.

These are the children growing up right now. The ones we're buying books for, reading with at bedtime, hoping to spark something in. Which is exactly why research like this matters.

Six types of reader (which one is in your house?)

One of the most useful things to come out of the census is a segmentation of readers into six groups — based not on how much they read, but on why they struggle to read more:

  • The Keen (23%) — enthusiastic, frequent readers. The ones who always have a book on the go.
  • The Modern (14%) — regular readers who prefer digital formats and online content.
  • The Self-Conscious (9%) — they read fairly regularly but are sensitive about how reading is perceived by others.
  • The Distracted (29%) — they want to read but life keeps getting in the way.
  • The Disengaged (16%) — reading feels boring to them; they're drawn to other entertainment instead.
  • The Unconfident (8%) — reading feels hard, and that puts them off trying.

Nearly three in ten people are Distracted readers — they're not anti-books, they're just overwhelmed. That feels significant. These aren't people who need convincing that reading is worthwhile. They just need a little help making space for it.

What this means for families

The campaign director of the National Year of Reading, David Hayman, put it well: "We all know the benefits of reading, but fewer people are doing it, and this research helps us understand why. It highlights the need to redefine reading as something social, relevant and modern."

One finding we particularly loved: 64% of boys and girls aged 10–16 said they would like to talk more about books, reading or stories with a parent, carer or grandparent at home. Children want that connection. They want to share stories with the grown-ups in their lives.

The research also found a strong appetite across all groups for non-fiction, true stories, and content that connects with personal passions. It's a reminder that "reading" doesn't have to mean a novel — it can be anything that captures a child's curiosity and keeps them turning pages.

What we're doing about it at Little Book Factory

This is exactly the kind of research that gets us fired up. Because the problem isn't that children don't like stories — it's that the right story hasn't found them yet, or that life is too busy and noisy for reading to feel easy.

That's where we come in. We get children to write their own stories (funnily enough they are never bored of what they write!) and we turn it into books they'll read and re-read. And they'll their friends about it which creates a wonderful halo effect around both reading and writing. 

For the child who thinks books "aren't for them" we say "come and write your own book, you'll love it!"

 


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