Education & Young People Health & Wellbeing
2025 Free
The Reading Agency

The Reading Agency Impact Report 2024-25

The Reading Agency is a UK charity that uses the power of reading to improve lives. In 2024-25, it reached over 2 million people through programmes spanning children's reading (Summer Reading Challenge, Reading Families), adult literacy (Quick Reads, Reading Ahead, World Book Night), health and wellbeing (Reading Well / books on prescription), and community connection. Over 14.3 million books were bought, borrowed and gifted; 113,865 new library members were recruited across 3,204 branches; and partnerships were held with over 21,400 organisations. 92% of Reading Well users found their books helpful. 70% of Summer Reading Challenge participants felt more confident reading. 7,352 volunteers supported delivery. The charity partners with prisons, food banks, health services and community centres alongside libraries.

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About

Summer Reading Challenge; Reading Families; Quick Reads; Reading Ahead (including in prisons); World Book Night; Reading Well (books on prescription for mental health); 46,118-strong reading group network; national and regional campaigns; consultation and co-production with 1,170 members; digital engagement via websites and newsletters Custom geography from upload: United Kingdom

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 Over 2 million people reached across the UK in 2024-25, including over 1.2 million children and over 800,000 young people and adults
Key Metric 2 14.3 million books, eBooks and audiobooks bought, borrowed and gifted; 113,865 new library members across 3,204 library branches; over 1 million event attendees
Key Metric 3 Partnerships with over 21,400 organisations including public libraries, publishers, universities, schools, prisons, health providers, food banks and community centres; 7,352 volunteers supported programmes

Key Outcomes

  • Reading Well programme users reported 92% finding their books helpful and 81% saying their book helped them understand more about their health needs — addressing poor mental health in 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children and young people through a low-cost, scalable bibliotherapy model available via public libraries
  • Summer Reading Challenge and Reading Families reversed declining trends: 70% of participants felt more confident reading and 60% enjoyed reading more — directly countering the statistic that only 1 in 3 children enjoys reading and 1 in 4 does not read well
  • Community connection programmes resulted in 68% of participants talking about books and reading more with others and 66% feeling more connected — addressing the over 2.5 million people across the UK who are always or often lonely, through 46,118 reading group members and over 800,000 campaign engagements

Geography

Other

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