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Only one in four young people enjoy writing, National Literacy Trust research shows
Research from the National Literacy Trust (NLT) has exposed the decline of children and young people writing for pleasure, suggesting a 50% drop in writing enjoyment over the past 15 years. Now only one in four of those aged five to 18 say they enjoy writing in their spare time.
The NLT’s largest ever survey – 114,970 children – confirms a deepening disengagement from writing. Released for National Writing Day (Wednesday 25th June), the research "paints a troubling picture of declining enjoyment, motivation and habits, with concerning long-term implications for learning and literacy outcomes", the charity said.
Declining levels of writing enjoyment and engagement closely parallel worrying trends in academic performance. Writing now ranks as the lowest-performing area in national assessments, falling even below mathematics.
The survey of nearly 115,000 children and young people aged five to 18 from across the UK echoed findings from last year that drew attention to a sustained decline in writing enjoyment.
The 2025 report reveals that only one in four (26.6%) young people aged eight to 18 say they enjoy writing in their free time. This marks a near 50% drop in writing enjoyment over the past 15 years for the age group. Daily writing habits have similarly declined, with just one in 10 (10.4%) writing something in their free time each day. This is a drop in 61% of children and young people writing daily in their free time, compared with 2010.
"Younger children, particularly those aged eight to 11, have historically shown higher levels of writing enjoyment but this year’s data shows they are now losing enthusiasm fastest," the NLT said. "Girls, traditionally more engaged in writing than boys, have seen sharper year-on-year declines in writing enjoyment. However, boys and older children continue to show the lowest levels of writing enjoyment and frequency."
However, a trend that has remained consistent over 15 years is that pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) are consistently more likely to enjoy writing in their free time than their peers not receiving FSM (31.1% vs 25%), the NLT said.
The organisation added: "These young writers, often assumed to be less engaged, are more likely to write daily, in varied formats, and with a strong sense of ownership. For these students, writing is not just about academic success, it is a deeply personal, expressive act tied to creativity, emotional wellbeing and identity."
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In terms of solutions, the reports’ authors suggested that even those children who do not enjoy writing would be motivated to write if they were able to choose their own topics, select their writing style, respond to inspiring prompts and draw inspiration from memorable experiences they wanted to share. "These motivators could serve as vital entry points to rekindle writing enthusiasm, particularly among younger children, who remain more open to re-engagement than teens, more of whom are motivated by writing that is connected to their individual interests, aspirations and life experiences," the NLT said.
Choice in the format of writing also plays an important role, the NLT said, echoing the charity’s findings from recent research around reading for pleasure. While paper-based writing remains the most common format, less enthusiastic writers showed a preference for digital writing, often through formats connected to music, media and personal communication, such as song lyrics, reviews and scripts. This underscores the importance of recognising diverse writing formats in any effort to reignite interest.
Previous research from the NLT shows that when children and young people enjoy writing and write daily in their free time, their writing skills, critical thinking skills, confidence, creativity and wellbeing benefit.
Jonathan Douglas, CEO of the NLT, said: "The findings offer a sobering view of writing culture in the UK but also point to actionable insights. By focusing on what motivates children and young people, particularly autonomy, creativity, and personal and cultural relevance, they are far more likely to engage with it on their own terms. That’s where true progress begins."
He continued: "We live in an age of generative-AI, where tools to both write and read texts play an increasingly important role in the literacy lives of children and young people. If children are to get the most out of what AI can offer with the ability to add their own thoughts and check outputs, empowering young people with the writing skills they need is critical.
"This is something we will be exploring in depth in our forthcoming reports that seek to understand young people and teachers’ use of generative AI to support literacy in 2025, and as part of our Future of Literacy work."
Following 15 years of research and engagement, the NLT is committed to championing writing for pleasure as a vital part of every child and young person’s development, well-being and how they engage with a digital-first world. It is urging the government to consider the significance of writing for pleasure as part of its Writing Framework and prioritising writing for pleasure in the implementation of Curriculum and Assessment reforms.
The NLT’s flagship Young Writers programme continues its crucial mission to embed writing for pleasure practices within schools. After taking part in two of the programme’s longest running projects – Young Poets and Young Mystery Writers – children’s levels of writing enjoyment rose by 18 percentage points (38.1% vs 56.1%).
Sharna Jackson, author of the High Rise Mystery series, said: "The report’s findings are deeply worrying. When only one in four children and young people say they enjoy writing in their free time, it’s not just about the impact on their academic success, it’s about what’s being lost: creativity, confidence, imagination and connection.
"But there is hope. The report shows that when children have choice, when they’re allowed to write in ways that feel relevant – whether that’s lyrics, stories, scripts or messages – they engage. And the fact that young people on free school meals are more likely to enjoy writing? That tells us something powerful: creativity doesn’t follow privilege, it follows permission."
The research was supported by Twinkl, an online educational publisher.
The NLT has also curated a range of free resources to encourage children’s writing for pleasure.
