National Literacy Trust appoints Fold7 to spearhead UK-wide 'National Year of Reading' campaign

Following a competitive pitch process, The National Literacy Trust has appointed Fold7 to deliver their National Year of Reading 2026 campaign. NLT is an independent charity that empowers children, young people, and adults with the literacy skills they need to succeed. 

Commissioned by the Department for Education, with funding and support from multi-sector partners including Arts Council England, Julia Rausing Trust, the BBC, all major publishers and tech companies, the National Year of Reading 2026 will be a UK-wide campaign that redefines reading for the nation. Empowering individuals, families, schools, community and grass roots organisations to help the UK fall in love with the written word, encourage reading for pleasure and change the nation’s reading culture for good.​

Reading is central to the Government’s Plan for Change: it supports success in school, work and in life, boosts wellbeing, brings people together and expands our knowledge about the world. 

But the UK is facing a profound, generational decline in reading engagement. The National Literacy Trust’s Annual Literacy Survey (2024) found that only one in three children and young people aged 8 to 18 reported enjoying reading in their free time, while just one in five read something daily. Similarly, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2021) reported that only 29% of pupils aged 9–10 in England said they “very much like reading,” well below the international average of 42%. While the campaign seeks to reach as broad an audience as possible, three priority groups have been identified: boys aged 10–16, parents and carers from disadvantaged communities, and children aged 0–5 with their families.

Fold7 are responsible for the development of the behaviour change strategy as well as all output. This will include a campaign name and identity, creative platform, and messaging across all activity, which is likely to include a series of high-profile mass participation events, a drumbeat of through-the-line marketing communication activity, partnerships, influencer and community engagement. 

The National Literacy Trust will lead, develop and coordinate the National Year of Reading on behalf of all stakeholders – including 5 leading literacy charities: Book Trust, The Reading Agency, World Book Day, The Queen’s Reading Room.