Ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget statement on 26 November, we take a look at the key areas to be aware of and the work the Alliance has been doing lobbying on behalf of members.
It is no secret that the Budget takes place against a challenging fiscal backdrop and the Chancellor has some tough decisions to make.
However now – more than ever – is the time to protect and invest in sport and recreation.
New Sport England research shows community sport and recreation provides £123bn in social value each year and returns £4.38 for every £1 invested.
And sport delivers for the economy too – generating £100bn in direct economic output, equivalent to 2.5% of total output. Through the multiplier effect, every £1 spent on sport generates £1.55 in Gross Value Added (GVA) in the wider economy.
Crucially, all of this social and economic value contributes directly to Government’s key missions to drive economic growth, improve health and wellbeing and increase opportunity for all.
This is why we've made a formal Budget submission and written directly to ministers urging them to show their support for sport and recreation at the Budget by:
1. Cutting the burden of business rates which threaten the viability of grassroots sports clubs and community sports facilities.
Reforms to business rates mean that from April 2026 there will be a new form of retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief for properties with a rateable value below £500,000 alongside a new, higher tax rate on all properties with a rateable value of £500,000 and over.
However, analysis by the Alliance shows that these changes could significantly increase bills for grassroots clubs as well as larger community facilities at a time when they can least afford it, threatening their long-term viability and likely leading to reduced participation opportunities and higher user fees.
In this context we’ve called on Government to:
2. Boosting the Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) scheme to make it fit for the future.
The CASC scheme delivers significant benefits to registered community sports clubs including mandatory business rates relief, corporation tax exemptions and access to Gift Aid.
However, changes made to the scheme in 2015, alongside rising costs and inflation in the intervening period, have eroded many of the benefits of the scheme, deterred take-up and made it harder for clubs which are already registered to stay within the scheme.
In this context we’ve called on Government to:
Taken together, these measures would go a long way to protecting sport and recreation and the enormous social and economic value it delivers. They would also ensure that Government is able to deliver on its ambitions to grow participation and achieve its wider economic, health and opportunity missions.
Next week’s Budget is therefore a crucial opportunity for the Chancellor to show her support for sport and recreation and the wider contribution it makes.
The Alliance team will be following the Budget announcement closely and will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
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