A step to “fix the foundations,” but the sport, recreation, and physical activity sector left absent from the role it can play.

The National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) has issued the following response to the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget 2024.

The Chancellor has said that this “Budget marks an end to short-termism" with promises to “fix the NHS, rebuild Britain (and) restore economic credibility”.

However, the Chancellor has missed an opportunity to provide crucial details about the significant role that sport, recreation, and physical activity can play in driving a healthier, more productive, and prosperous nation.

We know economic growth is intrinsically linked to the health and activity levels of the nation. The announcements made yesterday build on the vision to develop a 10-year NHS plan that shifts healthcare from hospital to community, and from treatment to prevention – two areas in which our sector can play a significant role. We will continue to work with the Government to understand how they will unlock this potential of our sector as further consultation takes place and details emerge.

Further announcements of funding to support children and young people through investment in breakfast clubs and support for elite and grassroots sport through investment in multi-use facilities are welcomed by our sector, as a way to encourage greater daily physical activity for all generations. Integral to this is a highly skilled sport and physical activity sector workforce, and the recognition today of the role of skills development in driving economic growth is positive.

As with businesses across the country, and particularly for a sector with a large proportion of entry level positions and young employees, there is a concern about the immediate impact of rises in employer NIC and increases in minimum and national living wage, particularly when paired with the reduction in Business Rates relief and the measures outlined in the Government’s ‘Employment Rights Bill’. While the increase in the employment allowance threshold will help support smaller businesses to absorb these increased costs to an extent, we are keen to ensure that these extra costs will not need to be passed on to consumers in order to keep sports clubs and facilities open, as this could impact activity levels across the nation.

The NSPG has continually demonstrated the value of increasing levels of physical activity among the population in direct savings for the NHS, increased productivity, and well-being benefits. Sport England’s recent social value report detailed that our sector is directly responsible for generating over £100 billion in social value and relieving pressure on the NHS through £10.5 billion a year in health and social care savings.

We recognise that the Government is still developing the details underneath many of these announcements, and the NSPG will continue to positively engage with the Government to position sport, recreation, and physical activity as a key part of the delivery of their five missions.  

We will continue to challenge our political leaders to commit to making the UK the most active nation in Europe – and in doing so generate £1bn in healthcare savings and a GDP uplift of £3.6bn a year. Now is the time to take action to make that happen, and we seek further clarification to understand just how the Government plans to work in collaboration with us and in the long-term interests of the country.  

Hitesh Patel, Executive Director of the Sport for Development Coalition, said, "It was heartening to see support for certain areas of the sport sector in yesterday's Budget statement, and it was also encouraging to hear the Prime Minister recognise the positive impact that a sport such as cricket can have. We know that there are many other examples of sport and physical activity initiatives which can achieve wide-ranging societal benefits - from reducing crime to building stronger communities and social cohesion.

The Sport for Development Coalition and its network of over 400 organisations looks forward to working with all relevant Government Departments to realise the full potential that sport can achieve."

The National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) is a coalition of leading bodies from across the sport and physical activity sector.

NSPG includes Active Partnerships, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the Sport for Development Coalition, the Youth Sport Trust, and ukactive.