World Book Day
There will be a debate on World Book Day at 3pm on Thursday 5 March 2026. This debate will take place in Westminster Hall, and will be led by Helen Hayes MP.
Education is a devolved topic, and the policy in this section relates to England only.
There is no statutory requirement for schools to have libraries. It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, using their core funding from the Department for Education. [see for example PQ 81502 [on School Libraries: Lancashire], 22 October 2025]
In September 2025, the government announced it would provide over £10 million in funding to guarantee a library for all primary schools by the end of this parliament. The announcement said that funding for this scheme will come from £132.5 million of dormant assets, announced by the Chancellor and the Culture Secretary in June 2025, and that the government would provide further updates on the scheme in due course.
The government has since said it has allocated £12.5 million from the Dormant Assets Scheme to ensure every primary school has a library space by the end of the current parliament, and that The National Lottery Community Fund is working to develop more of the programme detail. [PQ 109092 [School Libraries: Primary Education] 2 February 2026]
The National Literacy Trust has reported that:
- In 2021, almost 6% of children and young people said they didn’t have a book of their own at home – this equates to 413,068 children and young people in the UK.
- 40% of primary schools reported having no dedicated school library budget.
The Trust’s report Working Together Towards a Library In Every Primary School [PDF] (November 2022), highlighted some regional differences:
Percentage of schools in regions in England which do not have a designated library area (page 5)
- North East 18%
- North West 16%
- West Midlands 13%
- East Midlands 12%
- Yorkshire & the Humber 12%
- South West 9%
- London 8%
- East of England 7%
- South East 6%
In January 2026, the Education Secretary and the National Literacy Trust launched the UK-wide National Year of Reading, which aims to encourage reading for pleasure. The announcement said the campaign:
aims to tackle the worrying decline in reading for pleasure, especially among young people which has dropped to its lowest level since 2005, with just one in three 8- to 18-year-olds saying they enjoy reading in their spare time and teenage boys affected the most – in 2025, just 25% of boys aged 8-18 said they enjoy reading, compared to 39% of girls.
The campaign website Go All In provides further information on the campaign.
Education Committee inquiryIn November 2025, the Education Committee launched an inquiry into Reading for Pleasure, the reasons for the recent decline in numbers of children reading in their spare time, and what can be done to reverse the trend.
Parliamentary material Parliamentary QuestionsLiterature: North East
7 November 2025 | UIN 86831
Asked by: Joe Morris
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with stakeholders on the promotion of literature (a) about and (b) on the North East of England as part of the proposed National Year of Reading.
Answering member: Josh MacAlister | Department: Department for Education
The National Year of Reading is a campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults. It is a departmental initiative, in collaboration with our delivery partner, the National Literacy Trust, who are leading the delivery of the campaign.
The National Year of Reading aims to reverse long-term declines in reading for pleasure by engaging new audiences and reshaping public attitudes to embed lasting, meaningful change, beyond 2026.
The National Year of Reading 2026 will involve a huge range of events and activities in communities, including in the North East. Some will be bigger versions of well-loved events such as World Book Day and other major events are currently being planned. More information can be found on the National Year of Reading website: https://www.goallin.org.uk/.
Children: Reading
20 June 2025 | UIN 59345
Asked by: Jim Shannon
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of access to books in low-income households on reading outcomes among children eligible for free school meals.
Answering member: Catherine McKinnell | Department: Department for Education
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. As well as a number of strong links with attainment, pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing.
Evidence from the National Literacy Trust shows that in 2024, one in eight children who received free school meals (FSM) said they did not own a book of their own. There was a 4.4 percentage point gap in book ownership between children and young people who did and did not receive FSM, with 87.6% of those who received FSM having a book compared with 92.0% of their peers who did not.
The department recognises and welcomes the important work of charities such as the National Literacy Trust, the Book Trust, the Reading Agency, World Book Day and many others in supporting and encouraging reading.
The government has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure. Furthermore, the government’s Reading Framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.
Business of the House
12 February 2026 | 780 c950
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth
With World Book Day coming up on Thursday 5 March, I have launched a short story competition for primary school pupils across Chester South and Eddisbury, encouraging them to go all-in and use their imagination through reading and creative writing. At a time when children are spending more and more time on phones and screens, fostering a love of books, storytelling and creativity is more important than ever, so will the Leader of the House join me in encouraging children across Chester South and Eddisbury to take part in that competition and in encouraging everyone to get involved in celebrating World Book Day?
Answered by: Sir Alan Campbell
I certainly join the hon. Lady in celebrating World Book Day, and commend her for the approach she is taking in her constituency. It is vital that children get access to books, which is why we are promoting libraries, particularly in schools. The hon. Lady will also be aware that we are launching a consultation on social media, and I am sure that the amount of time children spend on social media on their phones rather than with a good book in their hands is one of the factors that will be taken into consideration.
Early Day MotionsWorld Book Day 2026
EDM 2818 (session 2024-26)
23 February 2026
Jim Shannon
That this House celebrates preparations for World Book Day 2026, recognising the continued importance of this annual event in promoting a love of reading among children and young people across the UK and Northern Ireland; acknowledges the vital contribution that reading makes to educational attainment, personal development and mental wellbeing; notes the work of schools, libraries, teachers, parents, carers, publishers, authors, volunteers and literacy charities in encouraging reading for pleasure and supporting literacy development; further notes that strong reading skills are fundamental to tackling educational disadvantage and improving social mobility; and calls on the Government to continue supporting initiatives that widen access to books, strengthen school and public library services, and promote reading as a cornerstone of young people’s education and future success.
Press materialThe Guardian Only 10% of boys aged 14-16 read daily for pleasure, National Literacy Trust finds, 22 February 2026
Department for Education, Premier League and literary greats back National Year of Reading, 13 January 2026
Department for Education, Parents urged to read more to boost children’s life chances, 6 July 2025
Department for Education, Focus on reading in secondary years to drive up standards, 21 October 2025
Further readingBookTrust: Getting children reading
Teenage reading: (Re)framing the challenge (National Literacy Trust, 22 February 2026)
Libraries for Primaries: Insights from 2024-25 (National Literacy Trust, 4 February 2026)
Reading for Pleasure Inquiry (Education Committee)
Annual Literacy Survey (National Literacy Trust, June 2025)
The reading framework (Department of Education, 22 September 2023)