Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced today that the government is committing funding to ensure every state primary school in England will have a library by the end of this parliament.
“Through our Plan for Change it is our mission to give every child the best start in life, regardless of their background or where they’re from. This announcement is a key milestone in achieving that.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, September 2025
The announcement marks a significant milestone in the Libraries for Primaries campaign, which we co-founded with Penguin Books in 2021 and has brought together inspiring authors, illustrators and more than 60 cross-sector partners – including publishers, businesses, libraries, charities, trusts and foundations – to address the lack of investment in UK primary school libraries.
We know that school libraries and reading for pleasure can benefit children and young people’s reading skills, wellbeing and empathy, yet 1 in 7 primary schools don’t have a library, rising to 1 in 4 in disadvantaged communities. Meanwhile, our latest research indicates that just a third (32.7%) of children and young people say they enjoy reading – the lowest level we’ve recorded in 20 years.
Libraries for Primaries aims to ensure that every primary school in the UK has a designated library space by 2029. To date, it has given close to half a million more children new opportunities to access diverse and inspiring books and discover a love of reading by transforming libraries spaces in 1,500 UK primary schools.
The news comes in the lead-up to the National Year of Reading 2026, a Department for Education initiative, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, that aims to tackle the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults. It will empower more people to see reading as a personally meaningful, modern and social activity, using reading as a tool to pursue their interests, express themselves and participate fully in life.
“Today’s announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves will supercharge efforts to give more children and young people new opportunities to unlock the unrivalled benefits of reading for their futures, and truly cement reading for pleasure as a national priority as we approach 2026 – the National Year of Reading.”
Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive, National Literacy Trust
“For us at Penguin, it feels entirely befitting that the Chancellor’s announcement comes in the year that we are celebrating our 90th anniversary and our founder Allen Lane’s ambition to increase access to books and reading. We keep that mission very much alive today, and Libraries for Primaries is the perfect demonstration of that commitment. It’s also an example of the power of partnership between business, charities and the public sector working together with government to prioritise reading because, aside from the pleasure it brings, we know that it is a significant determining factor for success in life and this investment will benefit generations of children.”
Tom Weldon, CEO, Penguin Random House
What has been the response?
The announcement has gained support from authors, illustrators and schools.
“School libraries break down barriers to opportunity by giving every child, no matter their background, access to a treasure trove of stories that can feed their curiosity, put them in the shoes of others and help them understand more about the world and their place in it. Today’s announcement ensures that every child in England can gain from the life-changing benefits of reading - a vital step toward boosting the futures of a generation.”
- Richard Osman, Author
“I am absolutely thrilled with the government’s commitment to put a library in every primary school in England. This work is urgent, important and, thanks to everyone who is championing it – authors, publishers, businesses, the third sector and now the government – the possibilities for children and their futures are endless.”
- Cressida Cowell, Children’s Laureate (2019-2022) and Libraries for Primaries ambassador
“This is a moment of real hope. A school library is more than just a room full of books – it’s a place where imaginations grow, confidence builds and a lifelong love of reading takes root. Every child deserves that space, no matter where they live or what their background is. The government’s commitment to bringing libraries into every primary school means that we’re not just opening doors to stories, we’re opening doors to brighter futures.”
- Axel Scheffler, children’s illustrator
“Libraries for Primaries has ignited a real passion for reading amongst our pupils and teachers. It has enabled us to create a brand-new library, make it an exciting and engaging space and fill it with hundreds of new and wonderfully diverse books and audiobooks which the children can see themselves in. The training for our staff and pupil librarians will also ensure everyone will benefit from the fantastic school library for many years to come. It has been a real catalyst for the school’s reading for pleasure culture and has enabled us to strengthen connections with parents, public libraries and the whole school community.”
- Sarah Smith, Headteacher at Sandford Hill Primary School in Stoke-on-Trent, a Libraries for Primaries participating school.
How can schools benefit from Libraries for Primaries?
Eligible schools can now register their interest in taking part in a Libraries for Primaries transformation in the 2025/26 academic year.