“Although sometimes seen as a little superfluous in an age of smartphones and laptops, handwriting still carries importance for many – it is often unique, with a handwritten message often feeling more heartfelt than a typed one. Some believe your handwriting can show your personality”- Dylan Difford- YouGov.
As September arrives, so does the start of the education year, at all levels. University students will have a little longer than schools but preparations will be almost set. For this blog, I am going to write a reflective commentary on handwriting and discuss the ways in which it is declining. I think you will be slightly surprised at the statistics I present.
I have two friends who represent both sides of how education is taught. One friend is in their eighties and was an English teacher. They instilled in me the importance of the handwritten letter and the care and time that goes into this. The art of writing, for it is an art and skill, presents the thoughts that are committed to a page. No way to erase pen mark! As Dylan Difford says of handwriting, it is “unique […] heartfelt” and helps portray your “personality” to others. Writing to someone not only shows your heartfelt thoughts composed to them, but also your own unique style of writing- maybe neat or maybe doctor style! This friend of course grew up when modern technology, such as computers and phones, were not accessible, which means handwriting was central to their education. It also means they learned it as a core skill of being an English teacher 30-40 years ago. My second friend is in their twenties and is also a teacher in Germany. They told me that each of their students get a school tablet to do their work on. This is a complete change where paper and paper are less used. If a student breaks their tablet, they will have to use old-fashioned writing and bookwork. It greatly interests me that this is now seen almost as a punishment rather than standard practice.
Both these friends represent the different experience of education and the way they then learned to teach others. My older friend will have written extensively both for work and personally, but my younger friend will mainly keep everything on technology.
I have looked at the YouGov page for my research, interestingly called “What is the state of Britain’s Handwriting”. The article provides many statistics and was published on the 30th May 2025, so is current with the data. I have found five figures I want to share with you, to show the changing times of handwriting in the U.K.
- 75% of Britons handwrite small lists a few times a month and 71% do other short writings
- Seven in ten 18–24-year-olds (69-72%) do this (lists) each month
- Long form writing is less common- one in six (17%) keep a diary
- 7% write letters each month
- 29% write greetings cards each month and 90% do across the year
These statistics may surprise you. It appears that younger people still prefer a paper list, maybe for shopping, a to-do etc, to help them feel a physical reminder of being organised. Long form writing is much less common and sadly letter writing is the most declining area of this. I find it interesting how nearly everyone still sends a greeting card at least once a year. This shows they still hold a relevant place in people’s lives. A physical card is a nice token to receive for any occasion.
I found this study to be a nice surprise that young people have not fully discarded paper and the skill of handwriting. As a young writer, I like the hybrid balance of having both pen and paper to make notes, which can feel comforting to look back over, but also the technology of a phone and computer to do fast work on. And I definitely prefer my books hard copy!
As education fires back into life, I would encourage you to get a physical notebook and keep the art of handwriting alive, even if it is to list your shopping! And it is okay to sometimes get a spelling wrong and see the way it was corrected rather than there being no trace because of spellcheck. I believe handwriting has a future and will always be useful alongside the fast shiny tech we rely so much on today. I hope writing with a physical pen will continue to be taught, and seen as a good skill rather than a negative when the tablet breaks. Ironically, I have typed this blog on a computer!!
Enjoy the learning this autumn.
Work Cited
Website for statistics- Difford, Dylan. “YouGov”. YouGov. Date accessed: 5th September 2025. URL: yougov.co.uk/society/articles/52273-what-is-the-state-of-britians-handwriting.
Photo- Gartenberg, Chalm. “The Verge”. The Verge. Date accessed: 5th September 2025. URL: theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/5/31/15713038/remarkable-e-ink-tablet-paper-digital-hands-on.