Sports Development and Its Impact on Health in the UK (2025)

Written By Luke Minshall

Abstract

In 2025, sport is increasingly recognised not just as recreation, but as an essential component of public health, economic strategy, and social equity in the United Kingdom. This article investigates the impact of sports development on physical and mental health outcomes, government strategy, investment value, and targeted programmes. With references to current Sport England policy, government publications, and socioeconomic data, the article explores how sport can shift national health trajectories — particularly through inclusive, community-based engagement.

1. Introduction

Sports development in the UK is undergoing significant transformation. Post-pandemic trends have accelerated the government’s shift towards proactive public health strategies, placing sport and physical activity at the forefront of population wellbeing. With pressures on the NHS, rising levels of non-communicable diseases, and ongoing concerns about mental health, sports policy has evolved from performance-centric to health-integrated.

Key developments in 2025 include:

  • National alignment of Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy with NHS prevention goals.

  • Economic evaluations showing sport’s return on investment for healthcare.

  • New delivery partnerships via local authorities and voluntary groups.

  • A focus on health inequalities, inactive populations, and youth mental health.

2. Policy Landscape

2.1 Sport England – Uniting the Movement

Sport England’s 10-year strategy launched in 2021 was built on the belief that “physical activity changes lives” and that tackling inactivity and inequality is essential for social health. By 2025, this strategy has matured and delivered:

  • Over £350 million in community sport funding since 2022 (Sport England, 2025),

  • Growth in the Active Partnerships network, enabling place-based delivery,

  • Creation of Priority Places — 80 areas of deprivation receiving intensive sport interventions.

“Sport is not just for those who choose it; it’s a right for those who need it.”

— Sport England CEO, 2025

2.2 Government Strategy – Get Active: 2023–2030

The DHSC’s Get Active national plan aligns with public health priorities and seeks to reduce inactivity by 2.5 million adults by 2030. The plan embeds activity into:

  • NHS social prescribing,

  • GP referral systems,

  • Primary care physical activity advice training.

This integration reflects the economic reality that inactivity costs the NHS £1bn annually and the UK economy £7.4bn (PHE, 2020).

3. Economic Case for Sport

3.1 Return on Investment

The Social Return on Investment (SROI) model for sport, used by Sheffield Hallam University and Sport England (2022), shows every £1 invested returns £3.91 in social benefits, with impacts spanning:

  • Physical health (CVD, obesity, musculoskeletal disorders),

  • Mental wellbeing (depression, anxiety),

  • Education attainment and crime reduction.

3.2 NHS Cost Avoidance

In 2024, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) estimated that increased participation in physical activity among over-55s alone could save the NHS over £100m annually in reduced falls, joint replacements, and long-term care dependency (OHID, 2024).

4. Health Outcomes

4.1 Physical Health

Sport is a powerful intervention for non-communicable diseases:

  • Reduces coronary heart disease risk by 35%,

  • Reduces Type 2 diabetes risk by 40% (NICE, 2023),

  • Increases mobility and delays frailty among over-65s.

In targeted Sport England pilot areas (e.g. Luton, Gateshead), physical activity levels among previously inactive adults increased by over 16% in two years.

4.2 Mental Health

Sport also plays a preventative and therapeutic role in mental health:

  • Involvement in regular activity reduces depression risk by 20–30%,

  • Sport-based programmes (e.g. Mind’s Get Set to Go) have demonstrated significant improvements in mood, motivation, and social connectivity,

  • For adolescents, sport provides structure, community, and coping tools — crucial during post-COVID mental health recovery.

4.3 Social Cohesion and Inclusion

Community sport fosters social capital, especially when delivered through inclusive models. Notable programmes include:

  • London Sport’s “Sport Unites” which promotes engagement in ethnically diverse boroughs,

  • StreetGames UK, targeting youth in disadvantaged communities,

  • Women in Sport initiatives, tackling gender inequality through safe and inclusive spaces.

5. Local Delivery and Targeted Initiatives

5.1 Local Government and ICS Collaboration

As of 2025, Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are working with local government sport teams to embed physical activity into care pathways. Examples include:

  • West Yorkshire ICS: Partnering with community leisure trusts to deliver exercise-on-referral schemes,

  • Greater Manchester: “Active Hospitals” linking discharge plans to physical activity support services.

5.2 Primary Care and Social Prescribing

Nearly 70% of GPs now refer patients to physical activity programmes as part of social prescribing networks, supported by NHS link workers. In Leeds and Camden, referral rates to walking groups and community sports have doubled between 2022–2025.

6. Challenges and Barriers

6.1 Facility Closure and Funding Gaps

Local authorities continue to face funding pressures post-austerity. Over 400 leisure centres have closed since 2010, disproportionately in deprived areas (LGA, 2024). Investment in maintenance, accessibility, and staffing remains a barrier to delivery.

6.2 Inequality in Participation

Despite progress, inequalities persist:

  • Black and Asian communities have 20–30% lower activity levels,

  • People with disabilities remain underrepresented,

  • Women aged 35–50 are least likely to return to sport post-pandemic.

Targeted investment, co-design of services, and culturally sensitive delivery models are now considered best practice.

7. Future Outlook

By 2030, the UK aims to:

  • Halve the number of inactive adults,

  • Embed physical activity into all health and care pathways,

  • Fully digitise community activity data for referral and impact analysis,

  • Align sport delivery more deeply with educational and policing systems.

The 2025 “Active Britain Bill” is expected to make local sport strategies mandatory for all local authorities, aligning with the NHS Joint Forward Plan.

Conclusion

Sport is no longer a luxury policy area. In the UK of 2025, it stands as a vital lever in improving health, reducing inequality, and enhancing economic productivity. With supportive policy, meaningful investment, and inclusive design, sport can help shift the population health curve — but it must be protected from austerity, siloed funding, and institutional inertia.

References (Harvard Style)

  • Department for Health and Social Care (2023). Get Active: A Strategy for the Future of Physical Activity. London: DHSC.

  • Sport England (2025). Uniting the Movement: Year 4 Implementation Report. London: Sport England.

  • OHID (2024). Physical Activity and NHS Cost Savings Model. London: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

  • Public Health England (2020). Health Matters: Physical Activity. London: PHE.

  • NICE (2023). NG105 Physical activity and health: evidence summary. Manchester: NICE.

  • Mind (2023). Get Set to Go Evaluation Report. London: Mind.

  • Local Government Association (2024). The State of Leisure Services in England. London: LGA.

Luke Minshall
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