World Book Day: Half of UK Adults Say Distraction Stops Them Reading 

The Reading Agency’s State of the Nation in Adult Reading 2025 report released for World Book Day today indicates a growing reading crisis among adults who report distraction as one of the most common barriers to reading for pleasure in the UK. 

According to select findings from its upcoming report, nearly half (46%) of UK adults say they struggle to focus on reading due to distractions around them, a figure that rises to 55% among 16-24s and 35-44s, and 52% of 25-34s.

Distraction is now such a dominant part of daily life that 1 in 3 adults said that they’re multitasking while reading, whether commuting, exercising, or doing household chores. For younger adults, this figure spikes so that 48% of 25–34s and 43% of 16–24s and 35-44s read on the go. 

Even when people do pick up a book, finishing it is another challenge. Almost a third (31%) of adults say they struggle to finish what they start reading, with 43% of 16 -34s reporting this issue. 

The number of UK adults who say they read regularly has dropped to 53%, down from 58% in 2015. Had that figure held steady, an estimated 2.53 million more adults would be reading today. When asked what’s behind this drop in reading focus 19% say their ability to focus has worsened over the last three years, and 24% of 16-24-year-olds say the same.

The top causes include:

• lack of free time (24%)
• changes in mental or physical health (11%)
• major life events (10%)
• changes in screen time or digital habits (10%)  

“We’re living in a world full of noise," said Karen Napier, CEO of The Reading Agency, "constant pings, feeds, and to-do lists. Reading can be a lifeline, but only if we can carve out the headspace for it. Through initiatives like Quick Reads and World Book Night’s Reading Hour, we’re helping people rediscover the joy of uninterrupted reading, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.”

Despite the challenges, The Reading Agency’s research shows just how impactful even a little reading can be, with just 30 minutes a week linked to a 20% boost in life satisfaction. In this year’s survey, readers reported feeling comforted (34%), inspired (29%), and joyful (22%) after reading.