England is getting more active but not everyone is benefiting

This video features Sport England’s Director of Strategy, Nick Pontefract, talking to camera, with graphics detailing the Active Lives statistics he’s describing, appearing and disappearing on the screen around him.

Copy in italics is Nick speaking.

The words ‘Active Lives Survey 2024-25 Explained’ appear on a white screen, with a royal blue border around it and the Sport England logo in the top right corner.

Nick speaking: “Adults in England are more active than at any point in the last decade, continuing the strong recovery we've seen in recent years from the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The text flies off screen and Nick appears on screen, with a caption detailing his name and job title, along with a map of the UK, with England highlighted in green, and the words ‘More active’ appearing over it.

The map flies off screen and a line chart appears, showing a line trending upwards from 2015 to 2025, with a portion highlighted in the middle to indicate the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. The line ends on a high with the value of 64.6% on screen, indicating the percentage of adults in England who are active.

“Overall activity levels have increased again to their highest since the survey began back in 2015, showing that we're genuinely building a more active nation.”

The shot zooms into the figure and an arrow appears below it, showing that the figure is up 0.7% from the 2023-24 results.

“There are over 850,000 more active adults this year compared to last. That's 3.3 million more active adults since the survey began.”

The picture pans back out, the arrows flips off screen, the chart is made fuzzy and in focus on top of it are the words ‘850,000+ more active adults this year’.

The text changes to read ‘3.3 million more active adults total’.

“And the number of people who are inactive, doing less than 30 minutes of activity a week, has also fallen over the ten years since we started measuring.”

The text shrinks off screen, the chart beneath comes back into focus and a new line indicating ‘inactive adults’ appears on in, showing a gradual trend downwards, finishing with 24.7% for these 2024-25 results. An arrow appears over this figure, showing the number is down 0.9% since the 2015-16 results.

“All of that points to a country that is increasingly aware of what being active can do for you. For your physical health, your mental well-being, for education and skills, for confidence and your sense of a connection to the people around you.”

Nick and the chart slide off screen and a shot of a man swimming in a pool, shot from underneath the water line, appears. He then pops up above the water line before it switches to a shot of a group of people playing wheelchair rugby, starting with a close up of someone’s hands pushing their chair forwards, before panning out to a wide shot of the game.

The screen then splits to one shot of a woman swimming underwater, and another of a group of men playing football on an artificial pitch under floodlights.

The screen splits again to have these two shots on top, with new shots below comprising a close up of an ice hockey stick dribbling a puck and a group of cyclists chatting whilst stopped.

“People are finding new ways to move. And many of them are being supported to do that by the brilliant partners that Sport England works alongside.”

The shot pans out to a single frame, with the cyclists shaking hands. It switches to a clip of an aqua aerobics class, an older person playing seated bowls, another doing seated exercise with a small dumbbell and a close up of feet walking round a sports hall while others complete activities involving cones around them.

The videos slide off screen and Nick reappears against a white background, with the blue border still there.

“A big part of this year's increase has been driven by older adults, people working hard to stay active as they get older because they understand what that means for a longer and healthier life.”

Nick slides to the left and a line chart appears to his right, showing levels of ‘active’ people for various age groups (those doing an average of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week). A red line for ages 55-74 starts at 63.5% in 2023-24 and rises to 64.3% for 24-25. A green line for those aged 75+ starts at 42.8% and raises to 44.3%.

"We're also seeing real change in the type of activity people are choosing."

The chart slides off to the right and Nick moves back to the centre of the screen.

"Gym and fitness activity is getting more and more popular and has grown significantly,

contributing to the overall increase."

Nick moves back to the left and another chart appears to his right. This shows types of activity and their respective participation numbers. A timeline of 2016-17 to 2024-25 is shown on screen, with the pandemic period again highlighted.

A red line for fitness activities appears, starting at 13.2 million, gradually rising, dipping sharply during the pandemic years, and then rising again to 15.3m for 24/25. A red arrow appears to show the figure is up 0.9m from 2023-24.

"Muscle strengthening activity, hugely important for health alongside cardiovascular exercise, has also increased. Just under 1 million more adults aged 55 and over are now meeting the guidelines since November 2019-20."

The chart slides off to the right and a bar chart appears showing muscle strength (classed as 2+ weekly sessions). For adults aged 55+ a green bar appears covering 2019-20 and rides to 38%, a purple bar covering 2024-25 rises to the right of it, reaching 41%.

"But inequalities in activity levels remain."

The chart slides off to the right and Nick moves to the centre again.

"While both men's and women's activity has grown, the gender gap has proven hard to close. And people with a disability or a long-term health condition are still less active than the population as a whole."

Nick slides to the left and a bar chart appears to his right. Showing percentages of ‘active’ people, a red bar for men indicates 67%, while a green for women indicates 62%.

This chart slides to the right and is replaced by a similar one for those with a disability or long-term health condition. A red bar for ‘without’ rises to 70%, while a blue bar for ‘with’ rises to 45%.

"Where you live can also have a huge impact on how active you are."

This chart slides to the right and is replaced by a similar one for where you live. A red bar for ‘least deprived’ rises to 70%, a green bar for ‘mid-deprived’ rises to 65% and a blue bar for ‘most deprived’ rises to 57%.

"And this is why at Sport England, we remain committed to tackling these challenges by concentrating our efforts and our investment on those that need it the most."

Nick disappears from screen and we switch to a series of quick cutting clips showing people participating in various activities.

A man addresses a group of people on the steps outside a building.

A middle-aged man talks to an older woman on a walk in a park.

A group of women talk as they walk along a towpath.

A older man and an older woman take part in seated exercises, as part of a larger group, stretching from side to side.

"This report provides the headlines, but you can use the detailed data tables on our website to dig deeper into the results, to explore trends over time, audiences not covered in this report and look into more specific activities."

Nick reappears and an animated paper report flies onto screen to his right, with the report matching the cover of the Active Lives Adult Survey November 2024-25 Report. The report has a cover photo of a group of older adults doing seated exercises in a dance studio, using green resistance bands.

The report shrinks off screen and Nick slides back to the centre.

Nick slides off screen before a royal blue birthday fills the screen, upon which appears a white box with the Sport England logo beneath it in white. In the box appears the text sportengland.org/activelives

The video is a talking head piece of Sport England's Chief Strategy Officer Nick Pontefract, talking in front of a navy blue background with a fuzzy Sport England logo on it.

So you've seen the results of this year's Active Lives survey, showing that adults in England are playing more sport and getting more active than at any other time since our survey began.

But what does it mean in practice? And what does it tell us that might help us continue that upward trajectory and to close the inequalities that remain? What's next?

Firstly, I want to reflect on the progress. To have 3.3 million more adults getting active over the last decade, despite the Covid-19 pandemic is something to be really proud of and testament to the hard work and dedication of thousands of organisations and individuals who’ve joined us in our mission.

I also think the shifts in how people are getting active are fascinating. Back when we started the survey, road cycling was still at its cultural peak following the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and padel was barely a blip on the radar.

Now, a resurgence in gym and fitness, and the popularity of running is driving increases in activity levels. Some of this is trend-driven with the popularity of events like Hyrox, but this isn't about one specific thing.

Almost all types of gym and fitness activity are up, and they've been growing consistently. Also, millions of people have kept up the simple pleasure of going for a walk, which grew so much during the pandemic. This is especially the case for older people who've seen some of the biggest gains.

This shows us the importance of relevance. When sport makes sure it's truly relevant to the audiences it serves, and makes its product genuinely accessible, that's where we see growth.

The biggest challenge we face though is the inequality in these figures. The gap between the haves and the have nots is far too big. It costs people their health and wellbeing, and it costs the nation too.

The challenge for the next decade will be working together even more closely, whether that’s at a national or a local government level, or in the beating heart of a grassroots

sport community to make sport more inclusive or accessible, and an even more fundamental part of the fabric of the nation for everyone.

Finally, I want to say an enormous thank you to all of those that have worked on the survey over the last decade. Active Lives is an unprecedented source of activity data, but it wouldn't happen without the team behind the numbers.

To all of you that have made the survey happen, thank you.

The screen fades to navy blue, with a Sport England logo appearing in the centre.

The video is a series of talking heads, hearing from people in the Blackpool community, focusing on the work funding and support from Sport England has facilitated. The talking heads are cut between examples of that work being done, as well as scenic shots of Blackpool – set to mellow piano music. Text in italics is direct speech.

The video opens with a drone shot of the Blackpool tower, the beach, and the sea, with the sun rising.

Kate Aldridge, Blackpool Council

We’ve got an iconic tower, we’ve got three beautiful piers, miles of golden sand – but what we see behind that is a community that too often faces health and social inequalities.

The shot cuts to general views of the pier and waves lapping on the beach, before cutting back to the drone shot of the tower – this time looking inland, with the town in the background.

John Blackledge, Blackpool Council

Blackpool is unique and Blackpool is special. The background to that though, unfortunately, is many challenges in terms of deprivation and obviously poor health.

The video cuts to an outside shot of the North Pier entrance, focusing on the sign over the door, before switching to a talking head of John Blackledge.

The film cuts to a shot of a footpath sign, with ‘Playground, Sports Centre’ pointing in one direction and ‘Cricket Oval, Tennis Courts’ in the other direction, before cutting to a low shot of people playing football on an artificial pitch, an athletics track and then a scooter rider in a skate park.

Kate Aldridge, Blackpool Council

Sport England have really had us thinking differently about how we can deliver change.

So rather than thinking what can we as a local authority do? What can our partner organisations do? It’s become more, what can we as system leaders do together?

The film cuts to a general view of some tennis courts with a clock tower in the background, before cutting to Kate Aldridge as a talking head in an office.

Lucy Lavery, House of Wingz volunteer

House of Wingz has an amazing impact on the Blackpool community. It’s probably one of the only places in Blackpool that gives us the opportunity to have a safe space and to have these events.

The film cuts from Kate, to a rainbow flag with the House of Wingz logo in the centre of it, before cutting to a skateboarder dropping into a ramp in an indoor skate facility. Lucy claps as she overlooks another skater performing a trick off a small ramp. It now cuts to a talking head of Lucy, standing in front of a graffiti’s wall.

The voiceover switches to Aishley, and she’s pictured smiling with another woman, before the film cuts to a group of teenagers break dancing in a studio – including one boy spinning on his back, on the floor. The video then cuts to a talking head of Aishley, in the same position Lucy was earlier.

Aishley Bell-Docherty, House of Wingz

I absolutely think that the young people of Blackpool have got a space for their voices to be heard.

It’s something that’s very important to us as an organisation, to create platforms where they can share their voices.

Without funding, this wouldn’t exist because of the general narrative around what Blackpool is, often young people can kind of overlook that.

So, somewhere like here helps them to see there’s community, there’s connection, opportunities.

The film cuts to an establishing shot outside the Grange Park Youth Centre, with a large picture of a smiling young boy on the outside of the building. It then focuses on a sign in the door saying ‘The Boathouse Youth’, before cutting to a talking head of Danielle, whose standing in front of a multi-coloured, striped wall, which features photos and positive messages from Boathouse attendees.

Danielle Spencer, The Boathouse

It enables young people to have a safe place. It stops them being out on the street.

I used to think there was nothing here for me. And then I found The Boathouse, and I’m the centre manager of the Grange Park Centre.

The video cuts to a general view of young people using the gym including a rowing machine, treadmill and exercise bike, before cutting to a talking head of Harry, standing in front of the same wall as Danielle.

Harry Hepworth, The Boathouse

I had a bit of experience through bullying in school and mum said ‘I need somewhere safe for you to go’, so mum signed me up and I came through, made a load of new friends. If The Boathouse wasn’t here I don’t think I’d be the same person I was now.

The video cuts to more gym users, including a teenage boy using freeweights, before cutting back to the wall for a talking head with Sarah.

Sarah Lindsay, The Boathouse

The impact that Sport England has had in Blackpool has been incredible. We are incredibly proud of the progress that our young people make whilst attending our youth provision, and to be back in their communities delivering to the young people that they once were is just incredible.

The video cuts to an outside shot of illuminated lights, a glowing love heart, the Blackpool Tower lit up and a spinning ice cream cone outside Blackpool Pleasure Beach. It then cuts back to The Boathouse, with shots of young people again in the gym, instructors spotting them (including Josh) and helping them in the gym.

I think with Blackpool being a tourist town it’s very easy for people to develop and leave, whereas, actually, our model is to build an infrastructure where people want to stay. And stay working within those communities that they’ve grown up in.

The video cuts to a talking head of Josh in front of the wall, before cutting back to more shots of Josh instructing in the gym.

Josh Fowler, The Boathouse

I absolutely love sport, it’s like one of my favourite things to do. Mentally, it makes me feel just so happy with myself because I’m out doing something and being active. It just makes me feel really good.

And then physically I can feel the benefits every time.

Without Sport England, I wouldn’t be doing my course, which I’m currently doing.

I feel as if what The Boathouse did was not just provide me a pathway to get my level two qualification, do all the leadership stuff, but it’s also provided me with the pathway to grow as a person.

The video cuts back to the indoor skating facility, focusing on a skater performing a trick on a skateboard, showing just their feet and the board in shot, before cutting to Luke in the same setting as Lucy and Aishley earlier.

Luke Farricker, House of Wingz volunteer

House of Wingz is like a second family. The people I’ve met here have helped me grow so much as a person, given me so many good opportunities in the thing that I’m so passionate about, skateboarding.

The video cuts to a shot of Luke in the skate facility, enjoying skating with friends and fist-bumping another teenager, before the video cuts to a talking head of Lucie, standing on a balcony, overlooking an artificial pitch and other grass playing fields.

Lucie Unsworth, Sport England

Through this work, what we’re seeing is local people really rediscovering the pride in the place that they call home, and really starting to drive some of that long-term, lasting change in their places.

The film cuts back to the drone shot of the tower, with the town in the background, before fading to black and the white Sport England logo appearing in the centre of the screen.