Half of all adults in the UK don’t read regularly for pleasure, and 1 in 6 – some 8.5m people – struggles to read at all. That is the key finding of research undertaken by literacy campaign body The Reading Agency.
As schools break up for summer, The Reading Agency is encouraging people to indulge in a beach read, or a return to books if the reading habit has lapsed. The Reading Agency says: ‘Our mission is to create a world of opportunity where every adult can access the benefits of reading. Reading not only makes us more aware and informed but also more empathetic, understanding of other people and cultures, and supports our health, wellbeing, and ability to learn new skills and communicate effectively.’
Reading Agency data reveals a large decrease in in the number of people reading regularly with only half of the nation (50%) now reading regularly for pleasure, down from 58% in 2015. Among young people aged 16-24, a quarter have never been regular readers, and 44% of this group are now considered ‘lapsed readers’.
Of course, many people are reading, it’s just that they are not reading books, whether that be fiction or non-fiction. They are reading that you might call ‘the novel of their own lives’ – Facebook posts, Twitter posts, captions to Instagram stories: the whole rich, live, constantly changing, glittering, flickering parade that is our lives. The problem for publishers is the distraction of social media. When asked what is stopping people reading, many respondents say ‘time spent on social media’.
The body concludes: ‘More than 27m UK adults who do not read regularly are missing out on the physical, mental and financial benefits that have been proven to come from reading more. This is particularly concerning, given the evidence that per capita, incomes are higher in countries where more adults reach the highest levels of literacy proficiency. Studies also indicate better health outcomes as well as clear well-being impacts, with those who read for pleasure.’ reporting higher levels of self-esteem and ability to cope with difficult situations and fewer feelings of depression.
