What's shaping activity levels in England

As American artist Kenneth Nolan put it: “Context is the key – from that comes the understanding of everything”.

I find this is the case because it’s only by understanding the wider circumstances around data and evidence that we can properly interpret what they mean and why they matter.

Next week, our latest Active Lives Adult Survey data will be released, covering the period from November 2024 to November 2025.

What physical activity is really made of

It’s therefore an important time to take a step back and look at the context we were living in during that time.

That’s because sport and physical activity don’t happen in a vacuum. How active people are is shaped not only by opportunities and facilities, but also by how they feel about their lives, finances, communities and the world around them.

Our latest State of the Nation report brings together insights into key events and trends from November 2024-25 across six key areas: politics, economy and employment, demographics, society, technology and connectivity, and community and activity.

The aim is to help us, and the wider sector, to better understand the conditions shaping people’s ability, confidence and motivation to be physically active.

Many of the trends we look at are linked to how satisfied people feel with their lives, which is closely connected to how active they are.
 

Some circumstances make a direct difference. For example, warmer weather can make it easier to get out and be active, while for others their activity levels are shaped more indirectly by factors like money worries, security and wellbeing.

These influences affect different people in different ways and, as a result, we use them to help explain what’s going on, rather than treating them as simple causes with the same impact on everyone.

At a glance

Some of the key factors shaping how active adults and young people have been between November 2024 and November 2025 include the following:

• Continuing political and economic uncertainty: low trust in politicians and ongoing financial concerns may have shaped people’s confidence and sense of security, and influenced the types of activities many were able to afford and take part in.
• Widening differences between generations: younger adults were generally more optimistic about the future than older groups, affecting their motivation and confidence to stay active across life stages.
• Higher temperatures and a drier year overall: warmer and drier weather created better conditions for activity, although it also reminded us that extreme weather can still be a barrier to activity for some groups.
• Greater use of technology: despite the increasing use of technology in the sector, growing concerns and declining trust in AI may potentially limit how digital tools could support activity for everyone.
• Leisure remaining important: with stable participation but mixed satisfaction in certain local communities, the role of leisure centres were highlighted to support a sense of connection and belonging in sustaining activity.

What this means for our sector

For anyone working to support activity, the State of the Nation highlights why how we design, target and communicate opportunities matters just as much as what we offer.

In practice, this means:

• designing with confidence and control in mind: when people feel uncertain about finances, politics or the future, motivation to be active can be harder to sustain. Approaches that feel flexible, affordable and easy to opt into, especially at moments of transition or stress, are likely to matter most
• recognising growing differences between groups: widening gaps in outlook between generations and differences by income, health and access to technology, mean that a single offer won’t work for everyone. Understanding local context and tailoring activity to people’s circumstances remains key to reducing inequalities in our sector
• using digital tools thoughtfully: technology can be a powerful enabler of activity, but growing scepticism about AI and digital harms reminds us that trust, access and confidence can’t be assumed. Digital approaches work best when they complement, rather than replace, human connection and local delivery
• strengthening community connection, not just participation: satisfaction with neighbourhoods and communities remains low for many people. Creating welcoming, social and inclusive spaces for activity can support wellbeing and help people stick with being active over time
• staying alert to changing conditions: from the weather to the economy, wider conditions can quickly alter what’s possible or appealing for different groups. Using insight to spot emerging barriers, and adapting early to overcome them, will be increasingly important.

Alongside the upcoming Active Lives Adult Survey, this year’s State of the Nation report reinforces the importance of context-led delivery: understanding not just who is active, but the wider forces shaping people’s lives and the need to respond to any challenges in ways that are empathetic, inclusive and grounded in local reality.

You can explore the report, alongside the latest findings from our Active Lives survey, to see how these trends interact and what they mean for supporting physical activity across England.