Making movement matter

We all know that regular movement is one of the most powerful ways to reduce the risk of major illness, improve mental health and help people live longer, healthier lives. 

But access to movement is not equal and those who could benefit most often face the greatest barriers, whether through low confidence, complex health needs or difficulty navigating what’s available locally. 

We also know that simply encouraging people to be more active or signposting them to activities rarely leads to lasting change. 

What’s needed instead is a support system that reflects the realities of people’s lives and this is where social prescribing comes in.  

From access to engagement

Social prescribing is a personalised, community-based approach to health that focuses on ‘what matters to you’ rather than ‘what’s the matter with you’, recognising that wellbeing is shaped by a range of social, economic and environmental factors, many of which are linked to wider social inequalities.

It often begins with a referral (whether from a GP, a community worker or even a self-referral), which connects the individual to a link worker or similar role.

Social prescribers spend time understanding a person’s circumstances, interests and motivations before supporting them to access community-based activities, resources and services that meet their needs.

So, unlike traditional signposting, social prescribing provides sustained, relational support that enables individuals to take greater control of their health over time.  

In England, there are now over 3,300 link workers and a strong body of evidence that demonstrates the positive impact of social prescribing on both health outcomes and, in turn, healthcare services.

Social prescribing is increasingly delivered across a range of settings, including primary care, secondary care and also within the community, supporting people at every stage of life.  

For the physical activity sector, social prescribing provides a vital mechanism to make movement a realistic, accessible and integrated part of people’s lives.  

Partnership, place and prevention

Sport England’s ongoing partnership with the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) helps  
to enable this more connected, whole-system approach that strengthens the infrastructure, the relationships and the local capacity needed to connect people to movement through social prescribing. 

With Sport England’s support, NASP has built a strong evidence base for prescribing physical activity and has also developed guidance, campaigns and training for link workers to support movement-based referrals. 

We’ve also strengthened place-based community partnerships that are unlocking inclusive and innovative approaches to physical activity.

An example of this is Sunderland, where one social prescribing service has programmed silent discos for children with disabilities, dance for those at risk of falls and aerial workshops for older adults. These gave the opportunity to Marion, 95, of swinging from a silk hammock, laughing freely while suspended in the air for the very first time.  

Our most recent programme with Sport England, Movement Matters, aligns with their place-based investment approach.

The programme is designed to strengthen how physical activity is embedded within local social prescribing systems, supporting Active Partnerships to work more closely with primary care at a neighbourhood level in order to reach the communities most impacted by inactivity and health inequalities.  

The initial pilot in 2025 provided important foundations to strengthen relationships between sectors, support more strategic use of data and insights, and to build confidence among practitioners to position movement centrally within healthcare pathways.  

Building on this, we're preparing to launch a new phase of Movement Matters in April 2026 that will support Active Partnerships to translate insights into action, working with primary care to take a proactive social prescribing approach to health creation.

The new phase will also support wider primary care and community roles directly, providing resources, practical guidance and opportunities to share learning with the physical activity sector.   

This approach is a vital component of the vision for neighbourhood health, where prevention, community assets and personalised care play a central role in improving population health. 

This is reflected in Sport England’s recent blog for the Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme.

This Social Prescribing Day, we recognise that creating active communities requires more than just provision.

It requires a way to connect people to movement that is shaped around their reality. 

When this happens, movement can become a routine part of health management, supporting people not only to stay well, but to live fully – with greater confidence, resilience and agency to take part in what matters the most. 

Want learn more about Social Prescribing? You can take NASPs free e-learning modules, including Social Prescribing Essentials, and Social Prescribing with Children and Young People.