National Year of Reading 2026

The National Year of Reading 2026 is a UK-wide initiative led by the Department for Education in partnership with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to tackle the sharp decline in reading for pleasure among children, young people, and adults, and transform the nation's reading culture for good.

Why it matters

• In 2025, only 1 in 3 children aged 8-18 reported enjoying reading in their free time
• Reading for pleasure is linked to improved literacy skills, better mental health, and higher future earnings
• Aims to break the link between background and achievement
• Over 7.1 million adults in the UK struggle with reading

Specific target audiences

• Parents of children under 5
• Boys aged 10-16
• Families from disadvantaged communities

Campaign goals

• Reignite reading for pleasure across all age groups
• Support literacy and wellbeing, especially in disadvantaged communities
• Make reading a meaningful and relevant activity in a digital world

How you can get involved

• Follow our SLS calendar of events
• Host reading events in your school
• Encourage daily reading time
• You can explore more or get involved via the National Year of Reading website.

Explore our website for a wealth of ideas, activities, themed booklists and inspiration to make your library a welcoming and engaging space for children and encourage their love of reading for pleasure.

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• Government press release for National Year of Reading.
• Parents urged to read more to boost children’s life chances - GOV.UK
• The National Year of Reading 2026 is a campaign that will engage new audiences in reading, encourage reading for pleasure and change the nation’s reading culture for good.  https://www.nationalyearofreading.org.uk/
• The National Literacy Trust https://literacytrust.org.uk/about-us/
• The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library aspects of the National Year of Reading campaign. They will be posting more information on their website from early October. https://readingagency.org.uk/
• For a head start on the National Year of Reading, join Empathy Lab on 27 November as they share cutting-edge research from the University of Sussex exploring how reading impacts children’s empathy skills.    https://empathylab.uk/raising-generation-empathy-conference/

Website links for more ideas

• Library Book Display Ideas and Themes Month by Month
• Literacy teaching and school events calendar 2025-26 | National Literacy Trust
• How To Create Engaging Primary School Library Displays | National Literacy Trust
• The Literacy Year | Literacy Calendar | Reading Events Calendar
• Premier League Primary Stars | National Literacy Trust
• Storytelling tips | BookTrust
• Poetry by Heart Competition
• Free Virtual Author Events - Autumn Term 2025