22 Apr 2014

New reports highlight significant social benefits of sports participation

New reports highlight significant social benefits of sports participation news article image

Two reports from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provide new evidence of the social impacts of engagement in sport and culture.

DCMS commissioned researchers from the London School of Economics (LSE) to undertake analysis of Understanding Society data.

The analysis looks at the impacts of engagement with sport and culture on four outcome measures:

  • health
  • education
  • employment and economic productivity
  • civic participation.

Where possible the impacts have been valued in monetary terms so that they can be used for cost-benefit analysis by policy-makers.

While researchers could not estimate cost savings directly, this analysis provides an important foundation for estimating the financial impact of culture and sport participation on health, education, employment and civic participation.

The researchers have produced two reports – one which focusses on financial benefits and savings, and one which focusses on measures of subjective wellbeing.

They found that a range of social impacts were significantly statistically associated with engagement in sport, including:

  • sports participants were 14.1% more likely to report good health than non-participants
  • unemployed people who participate in sports are 11% more likely than non-participants to have looked for a job in the last four weeks
  • people who participate in sport are 3% more likely to volunteer frequently
  • people who participate in sport gave £25 more per person in charitable donations over the last year.

They also estimated that the increase in wellbeing associated with sport participation can be valued at £1,127 per person per year, or £94 per person per month.

Many of the benefits that sport and recreation bring can be difficult to measure and value and can therefore get neglected in government discussions about how to allocate scarce resources.

Wellbeing measurement is increasingly being used in policy discussions and so this sort of evidence for the role that sport plays in generating benefits for society is incredibly valuable.

Read the first report.

Read the second report.

Read more Sport and Recreation Alliance news.

Latest News

22 May 2025

Alliance Hosts APPG Roundtable: The Economic Value of Sport and Physical Activity

Yesterday, the Sport and Recreation Alliance hosted a session of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Sport and Physical Activity, which took the format of a roundtable discussion on the economic value of sport and physical activity.

Read more Arrow Right
16 May 2025

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: Celebrating the Power of Community Through Sport and Recreation

This week (12 -18 May) is Mental Health Awareness Week, spotlighting the theme of 'Community'. This focus underscores the profound impact that belonging and collective engagement have on our mental wellbeing.

Read more Arrow Right
24 Apr 2025

Active Lives 2023-2024: Sport, recreation and physical activity sector challenges Government to match ambition and demand

The National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) has issued the following response to the Active Lives Adult Survey from Sport England.

Read more Arrow Right

Become a member

Joining the Sport and Recreation Alliance is pretty simple, but worthwhile!

Register now

Our Partners

Admincontrol logoAir IT logoGateley Legal logohelp me Angela logoHowden logoMarsh Sport logoSport:80 logoZellar logo93FT logo