Moving communities report urges government to back gyms and leisure centres ahead of autumn budget

A major new report from Sport England and 4Global has reinforced calls for the Government to increase support for gyms, swimming pools and public leisure centers in the upcoming Autumn Budget, warning that the sector is generating billions of dollars in social value despite operating under severe financial pressure.

The annual Communities in Motion report highlights the crucial role these facilities play in improving health and wellbeing nationally, with public leisure centers contributing an estimated £3.63 billion in social value between April 2024 and March 2025. This figure reflects the personal wellbeing benefits experienced by users and the significant savings in public services, particularly the NHS.

According to the report, no other part of the sports, entertainment and physical activity sector is making an impact of this magnitude. Participation in gym activities rose by 13% year on year, with notable increases among women, under-16s, over-65s and people living in the most deprived communities in England.

Women now make up 53% of all users, and gym activity among female participants has increased by 12%. Among people under 16, engagement was up 21%, while visits by people over 65 were up 19%. Participation in the most deprived areas rose by 7%, with these communities now accounting for 16% of national visits.

These trends point to a sector that is helping to narrow some of the most persistent health inequalities in England. For many families, recreation centers remain the only accessible and affordable places for exercise, community activities and supervised swimming.

But UActiv said its findings today also reveal a troubling truth: many of these critical facilities are operating on fragile finances. Rising energy bills, rising staffing costs and aging buildings have left half of all utilities operating at break-even, putting services at risk as demand accelerates.

In a statement in response to the report, ukactive said the message to the government was “unequivocal”: “If you really want to address issues of economic growth and take pressure off the NHS, the physical activity sector must be one of your key partners.”

The organization warned that any regressive measures in the upcoming budget could severely harm the sector’s ability to grow and serve communities, exacerbating health inequalities at a time when the country urgently needs to improve population health.

The report also details the measurable health benefits resulting from increased physical activity: £51.4 million in cost savings from reduced depression and £10.7 million from reductions in back pain alone.

Gym, pool and entertainment operators say these savings far outweigh the government support required to keep facilities open and affordable. They argue that investment in public leisure would be a direct lever for economic growth, NHS relief, and improved workforce productivity.

With the budget deadline weeks away, industry leaders are calling on ministers to support the sector rather than burden it with further financial pressure. As ukactive said: “It is time to fully support gyms, swimming pools and leisure centers to deliver the economic prosperity and health improvements this nation urgently needs.”