London, April 9th 2026 – Experian, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, is launching The Library of No Returns – a fairytale-inspired pop-up designed to spark excitement around reading, remove barriers to books, and highlight the powerful link between childhood literacy and future financial health.
Supported by Britain’s Got Talent star and children’s author, Alesha Dixon, the Library of No Returns brings to life a simple idea - reading stories earlier in life can help better your story later in life – and follows new insights which reveals the extent poor literacy levels blight communities across the country.
New analysis by Experian of millions of Britons’ credit profiles, alongside data on every UK constituency’s vulnerability to low literacy1 reveals a strong correlation between the two, suggesting financial capability is closely linked to reading and comprehension skills. In constituencies with the highest vulnerability to low literacy, average credit scores are between 6% and 12% below the national average of 850.
The findings are reinforced by National Literacy Trust research showing that children with strong reading skills are four times more likely to have good financial skills than children with poor literacy (35.6% vs 8.8%).2 Conversely, children in the bottom quartile of reading ability are more than six times more likely to fall into the bottom quartile of financial capability.
Alesha Dixon, Campaign Ambassador, said: “Reading and writing opened doors for me long before I understood money or credit scores. I had to teach myself those skills later in life.
“If we can help children fall in love with books now, we’re not just inspiring imagination - we’re helping build the confidence and skills that shape their financial futures. That’s why I’m proud to support The Library of No Returns with Experian and the National Literacy Trust.”
The Library of No Returns pop-up will transform Pelsall Community Centre in Walsall into an immersive storytelling environment where families can browse a curated selection of books, enjoy live readings and take a book home to keep. Alesha Dixon will host storytelling sessions for children on the day, alongside authors Steve Antony and Monika Singh Gangotra.
Throughout the day, Experian experts will also be on hand to offer parents and carers informal guidance to help build financial confidence, with tea and coffee available to create a welcoming space for conversation.
John Webb, Head of Consumer Affairs at Experian UK&I, said: “People often think of literacy and financial wellbeing as separate issues, but they are closely connected. If children are
supported to build strong reading skills early on, they are better placed to understand the world around them, make informed decisions and feel confident managing money later in life.
“At Experian, we’re committed to helping people build their financial confidence so that they’re better equipped to make smart money moves. That starts with understanding what shapes financial confidence in the first place. Through our partnership with the National Literacy Trust, we want to help more children access books, enjoy reading and build foundations that can open up better opportunities in the future.”
The campaign comes at a time when access to books and enjoyment of reading are under pressure. One in 10 children aged 5 to 18 do not have a book of their own at home3, rising to one in six in the most disadvantaged communities. Just 33% of children aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time4 – the lowest level since 2005.
Library of No Returns forms part of a wider campaign that will see more than 5,000 books distributed to communities with lower literacy levels, with further book drops planned in Stoke, Merthyr Tydfil and Nottingham following the Walsall launch.
A supporting donation drive will also run through The Big Give, with Experian matching donations to raise further funds for the National Literacy Trust’s work in communities that need it most. A group of influencers relevant to millennial parents will support the campaign by attending the event and helping raise awareness of the wider issue of low literacy and its impact on children’s futures.
Jason Vit, National Literacy Trust, said: “Experian’s literacy vulnerability score has been pivotal in helping the National Literacy Trust target the areas in which we focus our place-based approach, supporting children and families who are facing the biggest literacy challenges.
“Together, we’ve been able to empower millions of children with the literacy skills they need to thrive, including getting books to children and young people who may not have any at home. Today’s activity in Walsall is a fantastic example of how we work with the local community to engage families with reading for pleasure, which supports a child’s literacy skills and can benefit their confidence, wellbeing, academic attainment, and even their financial literacy later in life.”
ENDS
Lowest ranking constituencies in the UK by literacy score vs average credit score
Rank Local constituency Literacy vulnerability score (1=highest literacy vulnerability, 10= lowest literacy vulnerability) Credit score % lower than national average credit score (850)
1 Blaenau Gwent 1.43 775 - 9%
2 Sandwell 1.46 796 - 6%
3 Merthyr Tydfil 1.64 793 - 7%
4 Leicester 1.76 800 - 6%
5 Blackpool 1.81 750 - 12%
6 Sunderland 1.84 787 - 7%
7 South Tyneside 1.89 796 - 6%
8 Wolverhampton 1.90 787 - 7%
9 Stoke-on-Trent 1.97 787 - 7%
10 Walsall 2.10 800 - 6%
1 Vulnerability to poor literacy is calculated by looking at a range of factors including levels of education, income and unemployment. These factors are then calculated by establishing a literacy need score ranked on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 = highest literacy need and 10= lowest literacy need. The national average is 5.
The 10 lowest scores in the country by constituency range from 1.43 to 2.10. Credit score data is based on Experian average credit score data from areas across the UK, January 2026. The data has been correlated with literacy score data by ward across the same regions. Further information on average credit score per area can be found on the Experian website https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/credit-score-map-uk/
2 Reading and financial capability: exploring the relationships (2019)
3 Children and young people's book ownership in 2025
4 Children and young people's reading in 2025
Media contacts
Experian Alex Saker, Head of Consumer PR & Content, UK&I Tel: +44 7977 175318 Email: alex.saker@experian.com
Mischief PR Email: experian@mischiefpr.com
About Experian
Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realize their financial goals and help them to save time and money.
We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.
We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate. A FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 33 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.
We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and innovate. As a FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 22,500 people across 32 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland.
About National Literacy Trust
The National Literacy Trust is an independent charity that empowers children, young people and adults with the literacy skills they need to succeed. Reading, writing, speaking and listening skills give you the tools to get the most out of life, and the power to shape your future. For over 30 years the National Literacy Trust has continued to support schools, families and communities on a local and national level to help people change their stories. www.literacytrust.org.uk