Grassroots facilities face ‘final straw’ if energy relief ends
Activity Alliance is one of a coalition of more than 200 bodies and individuals from the worlds of health, sport, recreation, and leisure that has written to the Prime Minister. The letter is an urgent plea for greater support for grassroots facilities and clubs amid the ongoing energy crisis.
With energy costs relief for the UK’s swimming pools, leisure centres, community facilities, and gyms ending on 31 March, thousands of facilities and clubs are at risk of permanent closure or reduced services. Public and private sector organisations of all sizes face unprecedented financial challenges with bills remaining up to 200% higher than normal.
The signatories of the letter range from major health bodies to sport’s national governing bodies, and the nation’s biggest fitness and leisure groups. Athletes such as Rebecca Adlington and celebrities including Davina McCall have also added their support.
The letter warns that:
“Failure to identify bespoke support for the sector (and schools operating sports facilities) as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme will be the final straw for many facilities and services – especially swimming pools.
“Without national intervention, communities will see the loss of essential local services, including swimming lessons for children which are vital for water safety; multi-sport offerings; mental health services; bespoke programmes for older citizens, ethnically diverse communities, women and girls, and disabled people; and long-term health programmes including cancer rehabilitation and support for those with musculoskeletal conditions and type 2 diabetes.”
Within the letter, the coalition calls for the Government to:
- Reclassify swimming pools as energy intensive as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme so they have access to the higher level of discount on energy prices.
- Set out what tangible support it will provide to the wider sector –including gyms, leisure centres, sports facilities, and clubs –to help navigate the energy crisis across 2023 so that service restrictions and facility closures can be minimised.
- Set out a “plan for growth” for the sector by aligning the proposed new Sports Strategy with the Spring Budget to unlock the potential of the sector to support the economic, health, educational and social wellbeing of the nation.
On 9 January, the government made the decision to exclude sport and leisure centres from their priority list of ‘energy and trade intensive industries in the Energy Bill Discount Scheme. We joined other organisations in the response. Adam Blaze, our Chief Executive said:
“We cannot ignore the impact our local facilities have on so many disabled people’s health and wellbeing. They are a fundamental part of our communities and any health improvement strategies.
“That’s why it’s imperative that the Government’s new Energy Bills Discount Scheme categorises these services as intensive energy users for more support.
“The health benefits of being active are widely known. But we also cannot forget for some people across every community, it may be the only occasion they interact with other people in a social setting. It is more than an activity.
“It’s a place to feel warm, included and not as lonely. We are seriously concerned if we do not protect and support our places and spaces more, then we will have an even bigger national crisis on our hands.”
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said:
“Over two hundred organisations and prominent individuals are united in urging the Government to safeguard essential community facilities across the country that remain under threat of service restrictions and closure, impacting people of all ages and backgrounds.
“Pools, gyms, leisure centres, and community facilities form part of our social fabric, and they are vital for our nation’s health and the economy. Action must be taken to protect our facilities, and to help them recover and grow so they can in turn support the growth of a healthier, happier, more productive nation.”
