Powered by Progress: National Fitness Day 2026

By Simon Hayes, CEO of Sport England

National Fitness Day from ukactive is an annual moment to reflect on and celebrate what Sport England and our partners are working towards: a shared ambition of everybody being more active, more often.

There is real momentum behind this. Over 30 million adults in England are active – almost 860,000 more than a year ago. Together, we’re helping more people experience the profound physical, mental and social benefits of sport and activity.

This benefits all of us. Being active builds stronger communities, supports a healthier and more productive workforce, and enables people to live happier, healthier lives for longer.

The impact is significant; our research calculates that active lives generate £6bn in productivity gains through a healthier workforce. We also save £8bn for the health and care system through preventing illness, reducing pressure on already stretched services.

And behind these big headline figures are millions of personal stories. They’re the stories of people managing long-term health conditions through regular exercise. Parents connecting with their children through swimming lessons. Older adults maintaining their independence through movement. Young people building confidence, resilience and healthy habits for life through activities like strength training.

These stories remind us why this work matters. But there is another story in the data, and it’s one we cannot afford to overlook.

While activity levels are rising overall, the benefits are not being felt equally. People living in less affluent communities, older adults, women, disabled people and some ethnically diverse communities remain less likely to be active than others.

Addressing these inequalities sits at the heart of Sport England’s mission. Together with our partners, we’re working to create more opportunities for everyone to be active, regardless of who they are or where they live. Like our Move for 10 challenge through This Girl Can, making activity accessible for women by focusing on 10 minutes of activity a day, 10 times a month. Our Place-based partnerships are boosting activity levels in areas that need it most – like Doncaster, where adult activity levels have risen by 4% and children’s levels by 11%.

Yet providing opportunities alone isn’t enough. People also need places where they feel welcome, supported and inspired to be active. Places that are accessible, inclusive and designed around the needs of their communities. That’s why the work of many of ukactive’s members – a powerful network of gyms, pools, leisure centres and fitness facilities – is so important. These spaces are about far more than exercise. They are community assets where people build confidence, develop friendships, learn new skills and strengthen their sense of belonging.

And demand for them continues to grow. The latest Active Lives data shows that 15.3 million adults are now taking part in fitness activities, underlining the increasingly important role these facilities play in supporting active lives.

However, many of the publicly-owned facilities that communities rely on are facing growing pressures. Rising energy costs, increasing maintenance demands and ageing infrastructure are making it more challenging for operators across the country to meet growing demand.

This matters because the quality of public facilities has a direct impact on participation. When places become outdated, inaccessible or no longer meet the needs of local communities, it becomes harder to attract and retain participants. Over time, that can reinforce the very inequalities we are working so hard to tackle.

The reverse is also true. Modern, inclusive and sustainable facilities can help remove barriers, create new opportunities and support more people to be active.

That’s why ensuring communities have access to fit-for-purpose places and spaces will be a key priority for Sport England over the next five years. If we want activity levels to keep rising, we must invest not only in programmes and opportunities, but future-proof the public environments that make active lives possible.

The good news is that England is moving in the right direction. More people are active today than ever before. But our task is not complete until everyone has the same chance to enjoy the benefits an active life can bring.

National Fitness Day shines a spotlight on what can be achieved when the sector comes together behind a common purpose. It’s a moment to celebrate progress, but it’s also a reminder of the work still to do: to keep creating opportunities for those who face the greatest barriers, and to ensure every community has access to fit-for-purpose places to be active.

All of us across sport, leisure, health, education and government must keep working together to make active lives for everyone the norm – not the exception.

Find out more and get involved at www.nationalfitnessday.com