Community sport and physical activity generated an estimated £122.9 billion (€140bn) in social value across England in 2023/24, according to new research from Sport England. “Social value” is defined by the UK government as “all significant costs and benefits that affect the welfare and wellbeing of the population” (HM Treasury “Green Book”, 2020). The study underscores the critical role of sport and physical activity for enhancing wellbeing, reducing healthcare expenses and boosting the economy. Sport England undertook the research in partnership with social value advisors State of Life as well as sports economists from the Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University and the Institute of Sport at Manchester Metropolitan University. Now in its second year, the updated study builds on the research conducted in year one of the project, published in October 2024.
The latest report indicates that £106.9 billion (€121.8bn) of the total annual social value is generated by the wellbeing benefits of sport and physical activity participation and volunteering. This includes £84.2 billion (€95.9bn) in wellbeing value for adults (ages 16+), £14.1 billion (€16.1bn) in wellbeing value for children and young people (ages 7-16), and £8.6 billion (€9.8bn) in wellbeing value from adult volunteering.
Sport and physical activity contribute an additional £15.9 billion (€18.1 billion) in annual social value, primarily through cost savings resulting from improved health outcomes among adults, benefiting both the state and society (prevention of depression and diabetes, savings due to reduced GP visits, reduced usage of mental health service).
A healthier workforce, with fewer sick days, saves nearly £6 billion (€6.8bn) in productivity. Furthermore, active lifestyles help prevent over 3.3 million cases of chronic health conditions annually, including 1.3 million cases of depression, 900,000 of back pain and 700,000 of type 2 diabetes.
Despite the benefits listed above, the research also points out a stark inequality, suggesting that an additional £20 billion (€22.8bn) in social value could be unlocked if the least active members of society matched the activity levels of the most active.
