22 October 2024 – London, UK: – New data from Sport England (published today) shows that the annual social value of community sport and physical activity is £107.2 billion.
The research shows the total annual social value of sport and physical activity in England for 2022-23. Of the total £107.2 billion – £96.7 billion is attributed to the primary value in annual wellbeing value, and a further £10.5 billion in wider savings to the health and social care system.
Key findings show:
– Active lives prevents 1.3 million cases of depression, 600,000 of diabetes and 57,000 of dementia – saving billions of pounds a year.
– Active lives save £540 million on reduced GP visits and £780 million on reduced mental health service use.
– Being physically active generates a wellbeing value of £2,500 per adult – while being ‘fairly active’ also brings significant benefits of £1,200 per adult.
– Active children and young people (aged 11 to 16) generate a wellbeing value of £4,100 annually; for fairly active children, it’s £3,100.
– Wellbeing values are also higher than average for many groups that are most likely to experience inequalities in participation – with it being more than double for adults who are disabled and/or live with long-term health conditions, and are £1.3k higher per person for adults with two or more intersecting characteristics of inequality.
As the Government shifts towards a ‘prevention focused’ healthcare system, it is clear that sport and physical activity is a key lever for the Government to use, particularly when looking at where it can save money for the NHS.
As an Active Partnership, London Sport supports the calls from the National Sector Partners Group’s (NSPG) to Government, which include protecting and continuing the existing level of investment into sport and physical activity – particularly the Opening Schools Facilities (OSF) Fund, which increases community access to the range of existing sports facilities – as well as driving tax and regulatory decisions to support sector growth. Additionally, we encourage the Government to lean on sector expertise and co-design the Government’s developing plans for sport, recreation and physical activity.
London Sport’s CEO Emily Robinson said:
“We welcome the report from Sport England, which shows the billions in social value that physical activity brings by improving the nation’s physical and mental health, whilst also helping to address a number of wider societal challenges.
We are encouraged to see a joined up response from the Sports Minister (Stephanie Peacock MP) and the Chief Medical Officer for England (Prof. Chris Whitty), that both clearly recognise the role that the sector plays in building a fit and happy nation. We urge the government to continue their investment in tried and tested sport programmes such as Opening School Facilities to help communities use school facilities to get active”.
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About London Sport
London Sport is a charity helping all Londoners live longer, healthier, and happier lives through being active, with a focus on children and adults in the most deprived communities who face the greatest challenges of inequality. It tackles disparities between access and opportunity in physical activity and sport, as a solution to wider societal inequalities.
It is supported by Sport England and the Mayor of London, and collaborates with London’s local authorities and other organisations, to remove barriers and provide fairer access to sport and physical activity across the capital. Its work specifically addresses underlying inequalities in sporting provision, particularly for those in underserved communities who face the greatest challenges to leading an active life.
For more information on London Sport, visit www.londonsport.org.
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