ukactive Public Affairs and Research Director Huw Edwards said: \u201cWhile we welcome the Chancellors\u2019 confirmation of \u00a320.5bn in further funding for NHS frontline services,\u00a0the\u00a0Budget again failed to provide any solutions to the substantial health inequalities that exist in our society.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe long-term solutions for the health service lie not only in frontline funding but in stemming the tide of preventable illnesses burdening the NHS \u2013 yet this recognition is entirely absent from the Chancellor\u2019s Budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do welcome a number of measures, including the decision to halve the contribution a small business makes to the cost of an apprenticeship to 5%.\u00a0This will begin to address some of the major structural issues within the levy that have impacted not only on the physical activity sector, but many other sectors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe announcement of \u00a3650m to rejuvenate Britain\u2019s ailing high streets is also welcomed, but investment alone will not attract the public back to city centres. We look forward to working with the Government to reform planning regulations to make it easier for fitness businesses to open up on high streets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat said, the Budget failed to provide the much-needed investment and regulatory change required across public health, education, sport and physical activity, and as such will only reinforce the health inequalities we face across all ages.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe World Health Organization recently revealed that the UK is ranked 123rd out of 168 nations for inactivity. We are ranked that low for a reason. Austerity has decimated public health services, leading to facility disrepair and programme closures.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the Prime Minister and Chancellor are both sincere in their belief that we are entering the \u2018end of austerity\u2019 then the forthcoming Spending Review has to place the nation\u2019s health at its heart.\u00a0Failure to do so would mark the Chancellor\u2019s pledge to \u2018deliver for future generations\u2019 as empty rhetoric.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ukactive Public Affairs and Research Director Huw Edwards said: \u201cWhile we welcome the Chancellors\u2019 confirmation of \u00a320.5bn in further funding for NHS frontline services,\u00a0the\u00a0Budget again failed to provide any solutions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":18554,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n