Column: Activity Alliance

We need proactive and meaningful change to help disabled people

CEO Activity Alliance

Prior to the pandemic, we had reason to feel quite optimistic about changing attitudes with a steady improvement to disabled people’s participation in sport and physical activity. Our vision - fairness for disabled people in sport and activity – felt like a realistic ambition to achieve in a generation.

There have always been significant inequalities between disabled and nondisabled people’s activity levels. The stark reality is disabled people participate less than non-disabled people and they are also twice as likely to be inactive. This is not right or fair.

The pandemic had a considerable impact on everyone’s lives, but insight shows disabled people are disproportionately affected. The latest Sport England’s Active Lives Survey showed signs of a stabilisation of disabled people’s activity levels from the previous year. But the data shows that activity levels are still down compared to before the pandemic – and disabled people are facing a slower return to activity.

Pre-pandemic numbers show inactivity levels for disabled people had dropped to 40.4% in 2019-20. This year, 42.4% (4 million) disabled people were classed as inactive (doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week). This is compared to 22.6% of non-disabled people.

We know from our own research that disabled people face many barriers to being active. The pandemic has both exacerbated existing issues and created new ones, which is why, at this crucial stage, it is vital we treat our recovery from the pandemic as a reset moment.

We must use this as an opportunity to rethink the way we do things inclusively. The priority must be for a fairer and

Disabled people are twice as likely to be physically inactive

© SPORT ENGLAND

“NO ONE MUST FEEL LEFT OUT OR FORGOTTEN”

more inclusive future for everyone, and that includes for millions of disabled people living in our communities. One in five people identify as being disabled – that is 11.5 million people and a large proportion of everyone’s customer base.

Boosting disabled people’s confidence and reassurance to be active again or for the first time is only one element in addressing these barriers. We need leaders and activity providers to set out what they will change right now.

It is vital that disabled people are included fully in the conversation as we make efforts towards a full recovery following the pandemic. To truly change attitudes, and increase activity levels, there needs to be involvement in decision making. We need to ensure every organisation embeds inclusive practice in all they do.

Sport and activity bring incredible benefits for individuals and for society. No one must feel left out or forgotten. ●