Committee publication · Correspondence · 8 July 2025
Letter from Huw Edwards, Chief Executive, ukactive, regarding oral evidence follow-up, dated 26 June 2025
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: Game On: Community and school sport
Summary
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, writes to follow up on the organisation's oral evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's Game On inquiry. He reinforces that fitness facilities drive physical activity participation (14+ million users in 2023/24) and highlights the sector's potential to deliver £107.2bn in annual social value while saving the NHS £540m–£780m through reduced GP and mental health service use. He urges the Committee to recommend an industrial plan for health and fitness, tax incentives, support for swimming pools, and long-term financing for public leisure.
Key findings
- 904,000 additional adults participated in swimming and fitness in 2023/24; total participation now exceeds 14 million, ranking third after running and active travel.
- Annual social value of community sport and physical activity is £107.2bn; physical activity saves £540m in reduced GP visits and £780m in reduced mental health service use.
- 11.5 million people are now members of health and fitness clubs, representing record demand and growth opportunity.
- Musculoskeletal conditions cost the NHS £6.3bn annually and account for 30 million lost work days; the fitness sector is positioned to reduce this burden.
- Government's recent £400m funding for community sports facilities is welcomed but criticised for narrow focus on traditional sports rather than gyms, pools, and leisure centres proven to drive higher participation.
Tone
SupportiveTopics
Key actors
Huw Edwards, ukactive, Dame Caroline Dinenage, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Sport England, UK Government
Notable line
“The Government's long-held, narrow focus on grassroots sport is failing to utilise the nation's full infrastructure for physical activity it has at its disposal …”
Key Quotes
“The annual social value of community sport and physical activity is £107.2bn, while keeping people active saves £540m through reduced GP visits and £780m through reduced use of mental health services.”
“The Government has stated its ambition to take pressure off the NHS through three big shifts that place a great emphasis on prevention and community services.”
“While this is welcome, concerns remain over the distribution of this funding, given successive governments have prioritised investment to a limited area of traditional sports facilities.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗