In England, 18% of adults aged 16 to 65 have very poor reading skills, and half of all UK adults don’t read often because they find it difficult, according to the National Literacy Trust.
A 2011 Government report suggests an average adult reading age of 9, while more recent data for OECD from its Survey of Adult Skills, known as PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies), found that 18% (or 1 in 6) adults in England had low proficiency in literacy, or literacy levels at or below Level 1 – essentially a reading age of 5.
In summary
- In England, 18% of adults aged 16 to 65 have very poor reading skills, and half of all UK adults don’t read often because they find reading difficult.
- A 2011 Government report suggests an average adult reading age of 9.
- If you’re creating written communications for the general public, consider reading age as a priority.
- Removing barriers so everyone can engage with your message, whether they’re busy professionals wanting quick info or vulnerable people needing to access support is the key to accessible communication.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Make Reading Age A Priority
If you’re creating written communications for the general public, consider reading age as a priority.
- This helps your content reach more people.
- It helps people with learning issues or dyslexia.
- It helps busy people reading on their phones.
- It helps anyone who’s tired, stressed, or rushed – which is most of us most of the time.
Typically, people writing communications materials have a love for language. Often it’s their life’s work – so making materials that are truly accessible, to the degree needed, must be deliberate.
To be clear, reducing the reading age of your communications is absolutely not talking down to people. It’s making sure your message reaches everyone without the fluff.
Plain English Campaign
The Plain English Campaign has pushed for clear writing since 1979. Chrissie Maher founded it and got an OBE for her work. The campaign wants simple, clear words that everyone can understand.
Web Rules Support This
Web rules say if your text needs more than a 12-year reading age, you should aim to give people a simple version if operating to WCAG 3.1.5 Level AAA.
This helps users with learning disabilities or people whose first language isn’t English.
WAYS TO GET STARTED
5 Quick Ways to Make Your Text Easier
Use short words: “Use” not “utilise,” “help” not “facilitate,” “buy” not “purchase”
Cut sentence length: Use 15-20 words max. Break long sentences with full stops, not commas.
Use active voice: “We will send your order”, not “Your order will be sent by us”
Remove extra words: Cut “in order to” down to “to, “due to the fact that” becomes “because”
Explain jargon fast: If you must use technical terms, explain them right away in plain English.
If you want to run a quick test of your content, there are several free checkers available. We like:
The First Word’s readability checker and this no frills site
The Business Benefits
Making your content easier to read gets results for you and your customers:
- Fewer customer service questions: Clear content means fewer confused customers. Less frustrated customers are more likely to make buying decisions.
- Important advice works better: When people understand key info the first time, they act on it.
- Builds trust: Clear writing shows you respect your audience’s time and capacity.
Less friction: People reach their goals faster when they don’t have to decode your message.
It's Not Dumbing Down -
It's Respecting Your Reader's Time
Writing for a 9- to 11-year reading age isn’t treating people like children. It’s knowing that everyone, regardless of their education, benefits from clear, straightforward language.
Think about your own reading habits. When you’re checking emails between meetings, browsing a website on your phone, or trying to understand a service after a long day, do you want to read convoluted (irony) language? No, I’m guessing you crave simplicity and clarity; especially with the rise of AI.
Research shows that highly educated people prefer plain English because it allows them to understand information as quickly as possible. A CEO with an MBA benefits from content that gets to the point. A doctor between patients doesn’t want to decode marketing jargon. A parent juggling work and family needs info they can process quickly.
Let’s take this a step further. If your content is online, be mindful that the clearer the content the more of your page will actually get read. This is from research by the Nielsen Norman Group, who found that users only read about 20 to 28% of a web page.
Remember:
You can share complex ideas using simple words. Clear writing often shows better understanding – if you genuinely understand something, you can explain it simply.
SIMPLIFY THE TASK
Making Technology Work for You
You don’t need expensive evaluation systems to capture compelling impact stories. Simple technology can transform how you gather and use this evidence.
Conduct interviews online using tools like Zoom or Teams, with AI note-taking applications like Fathom.AI running in the background. This means you can focus entirely on the conversation whilst still capturing every detail.
Once you have transcripts, you can use AI to identify the most compelling quotes, extract key themes across multiple interviews, and draft different versions of stories for different audiences. You’re not creating generic content – you’re amplifying your stories and getting as much value from them as possible.
This approach turns every impact conversation into a valuable asset that can be repurposed across multiple funding applications, annual reports, and marketing materials.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Bottom Line
Targeting a 9-11-year reading age removes barriers. It increases the chances of everyone being able to engage with your message, regardless of their education, reading confidence, or level of stress.
This isn’t about lowering standards – it’s about making clarity non-negotiable. When a busy executive can instantly understand your service, a rushed parent can quickly grasp your pricing, and a vulnerable person can easily access process support information, you’ve won at communication.