WIREDGOV

People are returning to sport and physical activity but opportunities remain unequal, latest data finds.

Activity levels are starting to recover following large drops caused by coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic restrictions, our latest Active Lives Adult Survey report shows.  

Covering the period between November 2020 and November 2021, the results, which were published yesterday, show that while activity levels obviously dropped as a result of restrictions designed to stop the spread of the virus, they then stabilised and are now starting to recover.  

Between November 2020 and November 2021, 61.4% of the population were active, and 27.2% were inactive. The recovery started in mid-March 2021 when there was a rise of 3% to 61.2% of the population getting active (between mid-March – mid-May), compared to just 58.2% 12 months earlier.

While numbers are still down compared to pre-pandemic, with 600k (1.9%) fewer active adults and 1.3m (2.6%) more inactive adults, the recovery is a testament to the work and investment that went into helping people stay active during a period of unprecedented restrictions. 

However, while this initial recovery is good news, the data shows that this is not universal, with many people struggling, a trend that emerged before the pandemic and which is why our strategy, Uniting the Movement, has such a strong focus on tackling inequalities and barriers.  

Click here for the full press release