A new report from Activity Alliance, released today on International Day of Disabled People (3 December), has revealed the significant social value of supporting disabled people to become more active.
The findings underline the pressing need to tackle inequalities in access to sport and physical activity for disabled people across the UK, and calls on policy and decision makers to ensure all disabled people feel they belong in sports and activities.
Key Findings from the Report
- £6,200 Social Value Per Year: Each disabled person supported to meet Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines of 150+ active minutes per week contributes £6,200 annually in societal benefits—three to four times the value of non-disabled people being active.
- Activity Gap Costs £10.9 Billion: Inequality in activity levels between disabled and non-disabled people equates to a societal cost of at least £10.9 billion per year.
- Impact of Light Activity: Supporting disabled people to engage in light activity alone can generate £4,400 per person annually in social value, highlighting its unique benefits for this group.
- High Inactivity Rates: Disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive as non-disabled people (41% vs. 21%).
- Barriers to Activity: Only 43% of disabled people feel they have the opportunity to be as active as they want, compared to 69% of non-disabled people.
Emily Robinson, Chief Executive at London Sport said:
“This new research from Activity Alliance highlights a vital truth: creating inclusive and accessible opportunities for disabled people to be active isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for building healthier and more connected communities. The social value per disabled person being active each year is a striking figure (£6,200) that reinforces the profound impact of inclusive physical activity.
At London Sport, our work focuses on breaking down barriers to participation and ensuring disabled Londoners can access and enjoy the benefits of physical activity. On this International Day of Disabled People, we call on leaders, policymakers, and communities to work together to create a capital where everyone has the opportunity to move more. By supporting disabled people to be active, we unlock not just individual potential, but an enormous amount of societal value”.
You can read the report’s findings here: https://www.activityalliance.org.uk/news/9535-disabled-peoples-activity-could-contribute-62k-per-person
Through our work, London Sport is committed to creating a capital where every Londoner has the opportunity to lead an active life.
For more information on London Sport, visit www.londonsport.org.
Media Contacts
Lucy Bishop : [email protected]
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