Welcome to the Research and Evidence Portal. Here you will find a catalogue of relevant national and local physical activity and sport literature made up of reports and case studies that allows users to search by key themes, location, date and age. You can also find a number of practical toolkits and guidance documents to support the marketing and promotion of your programmes and campaigns.
Getting On Track: Reducing youth offending and re-offending through sport and physical activity
Feb 2024
Sport For Development Coalition
Sport and physical activity are increasingly recognised as effective tools in preventing and addressing crime and anti-social behaviour among young people. To support organisations working with vulnerable children, the UK Government has invested £5 million into a Youth Justice Sport Fund.
Girls Active- National Report for Girls' data
Jun 2022
This report summarises responses to the Girls Active Pre-Intervention Questionnaire that female pupils completed in June 2022. Overall, this study received 6653 responses from female pupils in school years 7 to 13, from all schools. This report only contains responses from female pupils. Male pupils' responses are in a separate report.
Grassroots participation in sport and physical activity
Jul 2022
National Audit Office
This report examines how far the Department and Sport England have achieved value for money in their spending on grassroots sport and physical activity amongst those aged 16 and over, and have supported value for money in the system-wide spending across government.
Group fitness participant survey 2022 full report
Jan 2024
YouGov, EMD UK
In the dynamic landscape of fitness and wellness, understanding the preferences, motivations, and challenges of individuals engaged in group exercise is paramount. This research, commissioned by EMD UK and conducted by YouGov, offers a compelling insight into Group Exercise Participation, shedding light on its growing significance in England's fitness landscape.
Guidance for Transgender Inclusion in Domestic Sport
Sep 2021
The Sport's Councils Equality Group
The Sports Councils’ Equality Group (SCEG), made up of representatives from each of the UK’s sports councils, commissioned a review of its existing guidance (2013/15) for the inclusion of transgender people in sport last year, recognising that sport at every level required more practical advice and support.
Health barriers for girls and women in sport
Mar 2024
UK women's sport is gaining more media coverage and public interest. This increased attention is highlighting the inequality in support and understanding of women's health and physiological needs in sports like football, cricket, and rugby.
Health in 2040: projected patterns of illness in England
Jul 2023
Produced by the Health Foundation’s Real Centre in partnership with the University of Liverpool, this report aims to support policymakers prepare for the future by looking at patterns of illness over the next two decades.
Helping people through the cost-of-living crisis and growing our economy: The role of walking, wheeling and cycling.
Oct 2022
Sustrans
The UK is facing the worst cost of living crisis for many years. Inflation is increasing with the UK on the tip of entering a recession. There are many measures that can simultaneously help promote growth and support people during the cost-of-living crisis, including walking, wheeling and cycling.
How to improve your services for women and girls: As told by the 51%
Nov 2021
This Girl Can, UK Active
This Girl Can and ukactive have joined forces to better understand the barriers which women and girls face in taking part in physical activity and to translate these findings into advice that the sector can use to attract more women and girls into their facilities.
Impact of Covid-19 on older people’s mental and physical health: one year on
Jul 2021
Age UK have published a new report about the appalling impact of the pandemic on millions of older people aged 60 plus in the UK in the early part of 2021.
