Record numbers getting physically active according to latest Active Lives Survey

The Active Lives Survey is a Sport England-led survey, which provides information about the physical activity levels of people in England. There are separate surveys for adults (a bi-annual report) and for children (an annual report).

The survey has been running since 2015 and replaces the Active People Survey.

The latest adult Active Lives Survey reports on their overall physical activity levels. It does this whilst delving deeper into the results in order to report on factors such as demographics, types of activity and the impact on those with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

Between November 2023 and 2024, 63.7% of adults reported doing 150 minutes+ of moderate intensity physical activity a week.

The number of inactive adults, those doing less than 30 minutes of activity a week, is down, with this number falling by 121,000 in the last 12 months.

This included significant growth in activity levels for older adults and disabled people.

However, there are still various barriers in place which need to be addressed as NSPG have highlighted in their latest article. Those in less affluent areas are 13.4% less likely to reach the 150+ minutes of recommended activity than those in more affluent areas.

Similarly, 48.5% of people with a long-term condition or disability reported doing an average of 150+ minutes of activity a week, as opposed to 68.9% without. There is also a gender gap, with 61.4% of female respondents reaching 150+ minutes, in comparison to 66.3% of male respondents.

“The huge negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on sport and physical activity has been almost completely reversed, with activity levels significantly higher – and inactivity levels significantly lower – than when the survey began and when we launched our strategy, Uniting the Movement, back in 2020.

However, there are still some areas where the picture is more mixed. For too many people, the barriers to getting active are still too high. If you are less affluent, or live in a less affluent place, you are much less likely to be active.

Inequalities are, however, narrowing. This is why our work is disproportionately focused on these groups, to provide more support and more investment targeted towards those that haven’t been well served in the past.”

Nick Pontefract, Sport England Chief Strategy Officer