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Sport and physical activity generates over £100 billion in social value

Our updated research shows that improved health from participation in sport and physical activity relieves pressure on the NHS through £10.5 billion a year in health and social care savings.

22nd October 2024

The annual social value of community sport and physical activity is £107.2 billion, our new research calculates.

The value is made up of £96.7 billion in annual wellbeing value for adults, children and young people taking part and volunteering in sport and physical activity – and a further £10.5 billion in wider savings to the health and social care system a year.

This relieves pressure on the NHS through the prevention of illness, reduced mental health service usage, fewer GP visits and a reduced need for informal (unpaid) care. 

Through in-depth analysis of our Active Lives data, plus reviewing wider evidence for the health benefits of being active (including the costs associated with the treatment and care of illness and poor health), the research reveals the profound social and economic benefits of sport and physical activity for communities across England. 

We undertook the research in partnership with social value advisors State of Life, Sheffield Hallam University and Manchester Metropolitan University, and you can download a report summarising the findings below or on our dedicated social value webpage.

Social value broken down

Chief executive's reaction

"Our research is unequivocal in making the case for sport and physical activity to be a central part of the solutions to the issues facing our country.  

"We build wealth through health: people playing sport and leading active lives turbo-charges our wellbeing, prevents illness, saves the NHS billions and can boost our health and economic growth. 

"However, the shocking cost of inequalities in activity levels is a social and economic burden. If we can protect and invest in opportunities to play sport and be active, particularly for communities and people that face the most barriers to taking part, we will be healthier, wealthier, and happier.

"That’s why our 10-year strategy Uniting the Movement is laser-focused on tackling inequalities and today’s research proves again that this approach matters.

"Health experts have called physical activity a 'miracle cure'. We stand ready with our partners across the sector to work with the government to unleash the miracle cure for our NHS, our economy and our future."

Tim Hollingsworth

Chief executive, Sport England

Today’s publication presents the findings from year one of a three-year study. The annual figures are based on participation, volunteering and population data for the year 2022/23, with all figures in 2023 prices.

The next two years will provide further analysis that builds on our understanding of how the social value of sport and physical activity is generated and distributed between different people, places, activities and stakeholders.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: "Being physically active is one of the best things we can do to stay healthy and independent throughout our lives, and sport is one of the most enjoyable ways to achieve this.

"The greatest health gains are from helping people who do little activity to do a bit more. This report shows that we need make it easier for particular groups to engage in physical activity including sport."

Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said: "These findings from Sport England underline just how vital sport and physical activity are to creating a fit and happy nation. 

"Supporting the country to get active will be crucial in achieving our mission of building an NHS fit for the future. We are committed to giving people every opportunity to lead active lives for all the brilliant benefits it brings, helping to tackle some of the nation's most pressing health issues."

What does the research measure?

Our research measured two types of social value:

  • the primary direct value to individuals through improved wellbeing (being happier and healthier)
  • the secondary wider value to society (such as savings made to the public purse).

Wellbeing value (WELLBY) is the monetary value that can be placed on happiness, health and life satisfaction. Active adults (those who do more than 150 minutes of physical activity a week) enjoy the greatest wellbeing value: the equivalent of £2,500 per individual per year, compared to inactive adults. 

The social cost of inequalities in activity levels 

Our unique research tool, the Inequalities Metric, measures inequalities in physical activity levels in a holistic way.

For adults who are disabled or live with a long-term health condition, the wellbeing value generated is £5,100 – more than double than for the average active adult.

For adults who experience two or more characteristics of inequality (such as an older person with a disability) the wellbeing value generated through an active lifestyle is around 50% higher than for the average active adult – calculated at £3,800. 

By using the Inequalities Metric and its new research, we've identified the additional social value that would be generated if the physical activity levels of the whole adult population – including those most likely to experience inequalities – rose to the same level as adults with zero characteristics of inequality.

This has been costed at £15.6 billion, demonstrating the major wellbeing and economic loss driven by inequality in sport and physical activity.

An older woman throws a curling stone on an ice rink, while an older man watches from behind

Highlights from the report 

Active lives relieve some of the NHS burden, preventing 1.3 million cases of depression, 600,000 of diabetes and 57,000 of dementia (the UK’s leading cause of death) – saving billions 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 – such as older people, people with disabilities or a long-term health condition, as well as people from Asian backgrounds.

For adults who are disabled and/or live with a long-term health condition, being active generates a wellbeing value of £5,100 a year – more than double than for the average active adult.

For adults with two or more intersecting characteristics of inequality (such as an older person who is disabled) wellbeing values from an active lifestyle are £3,800 per ‘active’ adult – £1,300 per person higher than the population average.

However, the social cost of inequalities in adult activity levels is calculated at £15.6 billion a year.

Read the reports

Further reaction

Lord O'Donnell, economist and former Cabinet Secretary

"Constraints on public spending are severe. This makes it more important than ever to focus our investments on those most in need and where we can make the most difference. This new evidence from Sport England starts to point the way."
 

Will Watt, Director, State of Life

"This new model of social value for Sport England starts to align with the economic standards and evidence used by HM Treasury and the NHS.

"It allows us to demonstrate the role of sport and physical activity as an important preventative health treatment. At State of Life, we're proud to be leading this important shift forward with our partners."

Girish Ramchandani, Professor of applied sport management, Sheffield Hallam University

"Our research reaffirms how being physically active contributes to the prevention of many non-communicable diseases and other chronic health conditions.

"The considerable health value that taking part in sport and physical activity creates for society on an annual basis, combined with the value associated with improved wellbeing for participants, strengthens the case for continued investment in initiatives and facilities to encourage regular participation."

Larissa Davies, Professor of applied sports economics at the Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University

"This research builds on previous social value studies we have carried out for Sport England, by measuring a greater number of health outcomes, and valuing sport and physical activity for different groups in society.

"It highlights the cost of unequal levels of participation across the population in England, and the untapped potential value of sport and physical activity if this can be addressed."

Autumn sunlight streams through trees as a female jogs along a path by a lake.

Q&A: social value

  • What is social value?

    The UK government defines social value, also known as public value, as "all significant costs and benefits that affect the welfare and wellbeing of the population". 

    Our research explores two types of social value:

    1. Primary values: direct benefits to individuals through improved wellbeing.
    2. Secondary values: the wider value to society, including the state.
       
     Read less

  • What is wellbeing value?

    Wellbeing value is the monetary equivalent that can be placed on changes to an individual’s overall wellbeing – measured by their life satisfaction. 

    It is based on what these wellbeing improvements are worth to a person and their lives and is calculated using the new measure of economic value for wellbeing recommended by the Treasury – the WELLBY (Wellbeing Adjusted Life Year).

    In our research, this is the value of the greater wellbeing that’s due to people participating and/or volunteering in sport and physical activity at certain thresholds (when we control or account for other factors). Measuring wellbeing value is a Treasury-approved approach.

    Being healthier and happier through an active lifestyle is valued at £2,500 a year per average active adult – but is higher for some groups, including adults with disabilities and long-term health conditions, older people (aged 75+), women, Asian people (excluding Chinese people), and children and young people (aged 11-16).

     Read less

  • Why do we calculate social value?

    Social value explores more than just economic or market activity, measuring value which may not otherwise be considered.

    This is particularly important for a sector like community sport and physical activity, where a great deal of activity is self-organised or volunteer-led and much of its value to society comes in the form of improved wellbeing, physical and mental health.

    Understanding the wider social value of sport and physical activity enables us to make better policies and investments.

     Read less

  • How do we calculate social value?

    This research calculates social value in two main ways. 

    Firstly, the primary value to the individual of greater levels of wellbeing due to participating and/or volunteering in sport and physical activity. This is calculated using the Treasury-approved WELLBY.

    Secondly, the secondary value to society (including the state) of the benefits of sport and physical activity. In this research, secondary value is largely in the form of reduced health and social care costs due to the positive role sport and physical activity plays in preventing or managing a range of health conditions that would otherwise lead to a greater burden of treatment and care. 

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  • What is the social cost of inequality?

    This is an additional social value measured across the adult population.

    It would be generated if physical activity levels for all adults – including those most likely to experience inequalities in participation – increased to match the physical activity levels of adults least likely to experience inequalities. 

     Read less

  • How does the Inequalities Metric work?

    Our unique research tool creates a more holistic measure of inequalities in physical activity levels. 

    By identifying the factors that are most strongly associated with being less physically active, it groups the population by the number of characteristics of inequality a person has (either 0, 1, or 2+).

     Read less

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