The latest report from the National Literacy Trust research makes for gloomy reading.

Its survey of more than 76,000 UK children and young people revealed that only 1 in 3 (34.6%) 8 to 18-year-olds say they enjoy reading in their free time. This is the lowest level recorded by the charity since it first started surveying children about their reading 19 years ago, and a staggering 8.8 percentage point drop in the past 12 months alone (43.4%)

The research found that the reading enjoyment crisis is particularly impacting boys and young people in secondary school. The gender gap in children and young people’s reading enjoyment nearly tripled in the last year (from 4.8 to 12.3 percentage points), with fewer than 3 in 10 (28.2%) boys now saying they enjoy reading in their free time, compared with 4 in 10 (40.5%) girls.

Reading enjoyment has fallen across all age groups, with those in secondary school reporting the steepest declines. Just 3 in 10 secondary pupils (30.7% aged 11-14 and 29.7% aged 14-16) currently say they enjoy reading in their free time, compared with more than half of primary pupils (51.9% aged 8-11).

The research revealed that when children and young people enjoy reading in their free time, their reading skills, aptitude for learning, wellbeing, empathy and confidence benefit.

Indeed, twice as many children and young people who enjoy reading in their free time have above average reading skills than children who don’t enjoy it (34.2% vs 15.7%). This finding is important at a time when children and young people’s reading skills are cause for concern, particularly for those from disadvantaged communities.

Among the broader benefits unveiled in the research, children and young people who read in their free time at least once a month said it helps them to relax (56.6%) and feel happy (41%), learn new things (50.9%), understand the views of others (32.8%), learn about other cultures (32.4%) and be confident (26.0%).

The National Literacy Trust is calling on the government to urgently form a reading taskforce and action plan with multi-sector partners to address declining rates of reading enjoyment and, in its curriculum and assessment review, prioritise reading for pleasure alongside the skills that are vital in the development of confident, motivated readers.

The charity is also committing, over the next three years, to directly supporting and empowering 1.5 million more children and young people from disadvantaged communities to read for pleasure and develop greater confidence in their reading skills. This will include accelerating the growth of its Libraries for Primaries campaign, to ensure every primary school in the UK has a dedicated library space by 2028.

Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said, ‘With children and young people’s enjoyment of reading at an all-time low, and high numbers leaving primary and secondary school without the reading skills they need to thrive, the futures of a generation are being put at risk.

‘So many families, schools, libraries, charities, publishers, businesses, and more, are already inspiring children’s reading in such diverse and innovative ways. But to truly make reading for pleasure a national priority, we are urging the government to form a reading taskforce and action plan with multi-sector partners – amplifying our collective reach and influence, strengthening our impact and re-imagining solutions to this complex crisis.

‘Our dedication to this cause will be unrelenting. Over the next three years, we will support and empower 1.5 million more children and young people from disadvantaged communities to read for pleasure and develop greater confidence in their reading skills. By expanding and deepening our work in schools and communities, we will strive to play a significant role in growing a generation of readers.’

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Waterstones Children’s Laureate says, ‘We know that children who read for pleasure, and children who are read to, gain all kinds of benefits. From increased vocabulary to vastly improved mental wellbeing. But today’s survey shows that too often as a nation we are withholding those benefits from our children. Over the last nineteen years, enjoyment of reading has dropped by almost a third. These benefits are becoming a kind of invisible privilege. This has gone on long enough. The bad news is that we are at risk of losing a generation. The good news is that the solution is in our hands.’

The National Literacy Trust has also launched the #GrowAGenerationOfReaders social media campaign – backed by authors, charities, publishers and more – flipping the concept of content warnings on its head to instead extol the benefits of reading, as identified by children and young people through its research.

The public are being urged to join the campaign, posting a photo of a book cover, captioned with its warning – for example: May Spark Joy, Could Build Confidence, and High Wellbeing Factor. Use the free social media graphics provided.

The National Literacy Trust has also curated a range of free resources to help families, teachers and businesses encourage children’s reading.