Only 10% of boys aged 14–16 in the UK read for pleasure every day

Daily reading habits among teenagers in the United Kingdom have fallen to their lowest levels in recent years, according to reporting by The Guardian, citing new research from the National Literacy Trust (NLT). The large-scale study found that just 9.8% of boys aged 14 to 16 read for pleasure on a daily basis.

The survey, which involved 80,000 pupils aged 11 to 16, shows that enjoyment of reading declines as children grow older. While 46.9% of children aged 8 to 11 say they enjoy reading, the figure drops to 29.5% among 11–14-year-olds and further to 28.6% among those aged 14–16.

Daily reading rates follow a similar downward trend. Some 31.1% of children aged 8 to 11 report reading every day, compared with 17.1% of those aged 11–14 and just 14% of 14–16-year-olds.

The research also highlights a persistent gender gap, with girls reading more frequently than boys across all age groups. Among 8–11-year-olds, 36% of girls read daily, compared with 26.3% of boys. By the ages of 14–16, daily reading falls to 17.6% for girls and 9.8% for boys.

The head of the NLT said that children’s enjoyment of reading and daily reading habits have declined sharply over the past 20 years, reaching record lows, with teenage boys particularly affected. According to the organisation, schoolwork, screen time, sports and social activities are increasingly crowding reading out of teenagers’ daily lives.

The report, titled Teenage Reading: (Re)framing the Challenge, was published as part of the UK-wide “National Year of Reading” initiative, led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to promote reading for pleasure among children and young people.

The study also includes feedback from nearly 50,000 teenagers. While some respondents described reading as calming and mentally restorative, many said they struggle to find time for books due to academic pressures and the growing appeal of digital alternatives. Students with dyslexia reported that they often find reading difficult and tiring.

British children’s author Phil Earle argued that the issue cannot be solved through short-term campaigns alone and requires a long-term, systemic approach. In his view, children should be given greater freedom of choice in what they read, and reading should not be limited solely to traditional novels.