Research from the National Literacy Trust (Picton & Clark, 2023) shows that 8.6% of children and young people aged 5 to 18 do not own a book.
However, when it comes to those who are disadvantaged, this figure rises to 12.4% – and things are getting worse.
The annual research has revealed that the numbers of disadvantaged children without a single book has been growing since 2020 (from 7.9% to 12.4%).
It comes after NLT research earlier this year featuring more than 3,000 parents and carers found that 20% said they have had to cut back on books for their children as a result of the cost of living crisis – rising to 36% of those parents who are struggling financially (NLT, 2023).
The book ownership figures worsen for certain age categories. The research finds that almost 1 in 5 (19.2%) pupils aged 5 to 8 do not own a book, while the second worse age category for book ownership is 14 to 16 where almost 1 in 10 young people (9.7%) do not own one.
This figure improves to 6.2% for 8 to 11-year-olds, 6.8% for 11 to 14-year-olds, and 6.5% for 16 to 18-year-olds.
The book ownership gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers is now at its largest in a decade at 6.6% – 12.4% compared to 5.8% – and this year’s research found once again that more girls than boys owned a book of their own.
By region in England, the worst levels of book ownership were found in the North East, North West, and Yorkshire.
Previous NLT research has shown that having books at home is associated with increased reading for pleasure while wider research has previously shown links to increased reading frequency, stronger reading skills, and better academic outcomes.
The research states: “Acknowledging the associations between book ownership and reading enjoyment, attainment and longer-term outcomes, it is essential that support for book ownership should be targeted at groups with the most to benefit, including children and young people from lower-income backgrounds.”
As such, this Christmas, the NLT is launching a fundraising campaign to help get books into the hands of children who need them the most.
The report adds: “We have been asking children and young people about this topic for many years, and a look back at the last decade suggests that, after some incremental increases in book ownership, this has taken a downward trend in recent years.
“Furthermore, book ownership in children and young people from lower-income backgrounds has consistently lagged behind that of their peers from more financially advantaged homes, with the gap at its largest for a decade in 2023.
“It is also important to note that a concerning number of children aged 5 to 8 say they do not have a book of their own at home. At an age at which foundational reading skills, behaviours and attitudes are often being established, around 1 in 5 of this age group tell us that they do not have a book of their own.”
- Picton & Clark: Book ownership in 2023, National Literacy Trust, November 2023: https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/book-ownership-in-2023/
- NLT: Children and young people’s access to books and educational devices at home during the cost-of-living crisis, February 2023: https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/children-young-people-book-access-cost-of-living/