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

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

The Chancellor has said that this “Budget marks an end to short-term ism" with promises to “fix the NHS, rebuild Britain (and) restore economic credibility”. However, the Chancellor has missed an opportunity to provide crucial detail about the significant role sport, recreation and physical activity can play in driving a healthier and 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 onto 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 wellbeing 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 detail 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.  

The Youth Sport Trust added the following:

"The Chancellor’s Budget today delivers an investment in our children’s future, including through a much-needed cash injection to help rebuild schools and recruit specialist teachers, and additional funding to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Youth Sport Trust is pleased to see additional funding to support the rollout of free breakfast clubs in primary schools. Not only can these make sure every child has a nutritious breakfast before starting the school day, but by embracing a range of different delivery models, can embed active breakfast clubs providing valuable opportunities for physical activity before the school day starts, setting children up to enter the classroom energised and ready to learn.

We look forward to seeing details in the forthcoming ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper about plans to create eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas to test different approaches to developing skills and employability. Interventions such as Set for Success – delivered by the Youth Sport Trust and funded by the Wimbledon Foundation in partnership with Barclays – have shown the power of physical activity and sport for increasing access to skills and boosting life chances.

The programme’s pilot recruited children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop life and leadership skills through mentoring sessions delivered by inspirational athletes. Participants reported improved progress at school, life skills and wellbeing, leading to a positive impact on their education or job prospects. The new Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas should build on this example and unleash the power of physical activity and sport to break down barriers to opportunity.

However, we are aware today’s announcement leaves unanswered questions about future funding for physical activity at school, including PE and school sport, as well as access to school facilities outside the school day. As the new Government continues to develop plans for their core missions, we are clear that increasing children and young people’s physical activity levels is key to progress. Whether it’s improving wellbeing, tackling challenges within education, developing essential skills or embracing a preventative model for health, by guaranteeing every child access to 60 minutes a day, of PE, sport and play, we can develop a happier, healthier generation prepared to succeed in education and in life."

The National Sector Partnership Group is formed of:  

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

Through our collaborative work as sector partners, we aim to engage decision makers to improve the operating landscape for the sector and embed sport, recreation and physical activity as a key contributor to wider public policy objectives.