Record Activity Levels Across England – Active Lives Adult Survey 2023/24

04th September 2025 | Lizzie Homer | Active ageing, Adults, Benefits of physical activity, Celebrating success, Cheltenham, Cotswolds, Disability, Equality, diversity and inclusion, Forest of Dean, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Health, Insight, Measurement, evaluation and learning, Older people, Resource, Stroud, Tewkesbury

Sport England’s latest Active Lives Adult Survey reveals that physical activity in England has reached an all-time high. Between November 2023 and November 2024, 63.7% of adults met the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines of 150+ minutes of moderate activity per week—equating to 30 million people. This marks a rise of over 2.4 million since the survey’s inception in 2016.

Key highlights:

Inactivity is declining: 121,000 fewer adults are doing less than 30 minutes of activity per week.
Older adults and disabled people show notable gains:
- Adults aged 55+ meeting guidelines rose from 51% to 58%.
- Disabled adults or those with long-term conditions increased from 44% to 48%.
Fitness and running are on the rise, while active travel and leisure cycling have declined.
Volunteering in sport and physical activity saw a modest increase, with 22.3% of adults contributing time, though still below pre-pandemic levels.
Wellbeing benefits are clear: active individuals report higher happiness, self-esteem, and community trust.

Despite progress, inequalities persist—women, Black and Asian communities, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds remain less active. Sport England’s strategy, Uniting the Movement, continues to target these disparities through place-based investment and inclusive initiatives.

For full insights, read the full report.