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Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey (June 2024)

Download Activity Alliance Annual Survey 2023-24 full report

Activity Alliance’s Annual Disability and Activity Survey report 2023-24 shows that in a year where focus will be on the nation’s top Paralympians’ incredible achievements, the reality is that disabled people still face significant barriers when trying to be active in their communities.

Activity Alliance releases Annual Disability and Activity Survey report for 2023-24. The survey is the primary source of insight for organisations working to achieve fairness for disabled people in sport and activity.

This year’s results shows disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive than non-disabled people, a disparity that has remained consistent since the first report was released five years ago.

The survey was conducted by IFF Research between October and November 2023. 2,320 disabled and non-disabled adults aged 16+ took part. This survey complements Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey and provides greater detail on issues of importance to disabled people.

If you would like more information or support on how to access, interpret and use the data email annabel@activityalliance.org.uk or call 08081 756991 if you have any questions about the project.

Key findings:

  • 43% of disabled people feel they have the chance to be as active as they desire, compared to 69% of non-disabled people. Disabled women are more likely feel the disparity in perceived opportunity compared to disabled men (39% vs 48%) 
  • Six in ten (59%) say they rely on their benefits or financial assistance to be active. Around two-fifths (38%) of disabled people say that a fear of their benefits or financial assistance being taken away prevents them from trying to be more active. 
  • Disabled people are most likely to say they prefer being active in outdoor spaces like parks, countryside, or woodland compared to other locations. Less than half (44%) of disabled people say it’s easy for them to physically access outdoor spaces (vs 78% of non-disabled people).
  • Disabled people are significantly less likely to report high satisfaction with their life, happiness and feelings of worthwhileness compared to non-disabled people. 
  • Among those who said they feel lonely sometimes, often, or always, two-thirds agreed that being active could help them feel less lonely (66%).
  • Ethnically diverse disabled people are more likely to say they often or always felt lonely (35% vs 19%).
  • Disabled people are less than half as likely to ‘see people like them’ playing, working, and volunteering in sport and physical activity.

Please visit our Annual Survey page to download the executive summary of key findings and to view accessible communication formats. Here, you will find a summary of key findings in easy read format and a BSL translation video. 

Please contact our research team to discuss how to access, interpret, and use the data. For further breakdowns of the data or to view a data table, please reach out to us. Or if you require any further support to access the Annual Disability and Activity Survey reports, or would like to request an accessible Word copy, email annabel@activityalliance.org.uk or call 08081 756991.