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A new book gifting programme announced in the Budget will give up to 300,000 more children in England access to books before they start school. The government has set aside up to £15 million for it, and the money will go to pre school children regardless of their background or circumstances.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published the announcement on 5 November. Ministers say the scheme will help children arrive at school more ready to learn, and ease some of the cost pressure on parents. Full details of how it will run have not yet been released.
At a glance
- The government will invest up to £15 million in a programme that supports up to 300,000 more pre school children in England.
- The scheme builds on the work of book giving charities, including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library UK and BookTrust.
- Arts Council England will deliver the funding, with further details on the programme's design to be published in due course.
- A record 72.3% of children reached a good level of development by the end of Reception last year, and the government is targeting 75% by 2028.
- Separate funding of £12.5 million for primary school libraries and £5 million for secondary school books was also highlighted in the announcement.
How the £15 Million Book Gifting Programme Will Work in England
The programme is aimed squarely at the years before school. According to DCMS, the £15 million investment will focus on pre school children, with the aim of building confidence, communication and what it calls a lasting love of learning. The department also says the scheme will give parents "some breathing space" with costs.
Funding will be delivered by Arts Council England, the national development agency for creativity and culture. What the department has not said is how families will receive the books, how often, or how children will be chosen. Those details, it says, will be published in due course.
The figures are also framed as ceilings. The government describes up to £15 million and up to 300,000 children, so the final scale will depend on how the programme is designed.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and BookTrust, The Charities the Scheme Builds On
Ministers say the move follows the success of two existing book giving charities. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library UK works with local partners to deliver books to families' homes every month. BookTrust provides free books and early years resources at key points in a child's early life.
The government has put numbers on both. Since launching in 2007, the Imagination Library UK has gifted almost 8 million free, age appropriate books to children under five, and nearly 100,000 children now receive a free book every month. BookTrust, according to the announcement, supports more than 1.4 million children annually, engages around 93% of newborns and has inspired 84% of low income parents to read more with their families.
Steve Korris, Executive Director of The Dollywood Foundation UK, said the funding was "a welcome opportunity to bring those benefits to many more children across England". BookTrust's co-chief executives, Diana Gerald MBE and Annie Crombie, said the charity's Bookstart programme and more than 7,000 partner organisations already reach 1.4 million children and families, and welcomed the investment.
Why Ministers Link Free Books to School Readiness
The government's case rests partly on school readiness. Last year a record 72.3% of children reached a good level of development by the end of Reception, and ministers say they are on track to beat their 75% target by 2028. Getting books into children's hands early, the announcement argues, helps build the skills they need to thrive at school.
Around 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs are also being rolled out across the country. They are working with the National Literacy Trust and BookTrust as part of wider support for families, including encouragement to read together more at home.
Early Education Minister Paul Waugh called getting more books to young children "an important first step" and said the government wants to build on it throughout childhood, citing curriculum reforms and the National Year of Reading. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said every child, whatever their background or postcode, should have access to "the things that bring joy, learning and creativity to their lives".
Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said the organisation was "thrilled to support this initiative".
Library and Secondary School Book Funding Announced Alongside
The book gifting scheme sits within a wider package. DCMS has committed £12.5 million of dormant assets funding from the Every Child Can Programme to ensure every primary school in England has a library by the end of this Parliament. A further £5 million is being provided to secondary schools to buy books and reading materials that encourage young people to read for enjoyment.
The announcement also points to investment beyond the classroom. That includes £22.5 million for youth led cultural activities in England's most deprived areas and £132.5 million to support disadvantaged young people. Within that total sit £12.5 million for music in libraries and £10 million for creative mentoring for care experienced young people. The government says this sits alongside wider support for careers education, traineeships and pathways into the creative industries.
What We Still Don't Know About the Book Gifting Scheme
Beyond the headline figures, much of the practical detail is still to come. The government has not yet said when the first books will reach children, how the 300,000 places will be allocated across England, or how much of the money will flow through the existing charities rather than new delivery routes.
It has said only that Arts Council England will deliver the funding and that further details on the programme's design will follow. Those details will determine how far the scheme reaches children who do not already benefit from the charities named in the announcement.
Key Takeaways
- Up to £15 million has been announced to give up to 300,000 more pre school children in England access to books before they start school.
- The programme builds on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library UK and BookTrust, which the government says reach nearly 100,000 and 1.4 million children respectively.
- Arts Council England will deliver the funding, and the government says further details on the programme's design will be published in due course.
- Ministers link the scheme to school readiness, with 72.3% of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception last year against a 75% target for 2028.
- The announcement also highlighted £12.5 million for primary school libraries and £5 million for secondary school books and reading materials.