Activity Alliance’s Annual Disability and Activity Survey report 2025-26 shows that while there are encouraging signs of progress, disabled people continue to face substantial barriers to being active, with concerns around accessibility, affordability, wellbeing and belonging.
The survey, now in its sixth year, is the primary source of insight for organisations working to improve disabled people’s opportunities in sports and activities. It complements Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey and provides greater detail on important issues to disabled people.
Activity Alliance identified the following key findings from the survey:
- Disabled people are less likely to feel they have the opportunity to be as active as they would like (52% compared to 74% of non-disabled people), despite being more likely to want to do more physical activity (67% compared to 54% of non-disabled people).
- Disabled people consistently reported poorer wellbeing outcomes than non-disabled people, with higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction and greater feelings of loneliness. Nearly seven in ten (68%) disabled people who experience loneliness said being active could help them feel less lonely.
- Almost half (46%) of disabled people said the increased cost of living has reduced how active they are, while 59% said the cost of activities influences how they choose to be active.
- Disabled people are less likely to feel they belong in sport and activity settings and less likely to see people like themselves volunteering, coaching or working in the sector. Participants said seeing disabled people in leadership and delivery roles helps create environments where people feel understood, welcomed and valued.
- Disabled people prefer to be active outdoors (39% in green spaces and 28% in blue spaces), at home (31% online and 25% not online) and indoors at a leisure or sports centre (28%). Disabled people described choosing activity spaces and sessions less on preference alone and more on what felt manageable, predictable and safe.
The report concludes with four recommendations. To be inclusive and meet disabled people’s needs organisations across sport and physical activity sector need to:
- Ensure inclusive practice.
- Be affordable and flexible.
- Create a culture of belonging.
- Ensure disabled people have choice
Read the full report here: Disability & Activity Survey 2026