Activity Check-in | Sport England

The Activity Check-in captures data on people's attitudes towards sport and physical activity, as well as the barriers they experience to being active.

It also collects data on behaviours of both adults and children and young people towards sport and physical activity over time, revealing the impact of changing circumstances in a rapidly changing world.

Our Active Lives Surveys remain our primary measure of activity levels, but the Activity Check-in allows us to provide more regular updates, giving a wider range of attitudinal data and allowing us to dig deeper into specific topics, as required, at different times.

The study has two main components

Tracker data

Run at semi-regular intervals five-six times throughout the year.

Answers to a number of questions regarding people's attitudes towards sport and physical activity, plus detail on how much and what activity is being done, are collected at every quantitative wave.

The aim of the tracker data is to enable us and partners to monitor changes early and intervene quickly.

Explore the dashboard

Topic data

Collecting a unique combination of quantitative and qualitative data around a specific topic allows us to get a deeper understanding of peoples motivations, barriers and behaviours regarding sport and physical activity, in relation to a focused area of current relevance and therefore inform our policies, and what the sector can do to help.

A summary report on each topic provides the headline findings and key takeaways, while we also publish the raw data tables from each wave, alongside topic questions.

Thematic reports

Cost of living

This document is for partners and organisations who work in the sport and physical activity sector.

It explores our current, collective understanding of how the cost of living impacts people's activity levels and shares some ideas on how to help people get, or remain, active at low or no cost.

The below document has been updated following Wave 5 of the Activity Check-in.

Activity Check-in - cost of living update (Wave 5) Download the file - 1.14 MB

School holidays

In this report we explore how activity levels and the choice of activities differ for children and young people between term-time and the school holidays.

Activity Check-in - school holidays Download the file - 735.25 KB

Seasonal changes

In this report we shed light on how attitudes towards physical activities change with the seasons, and the differences in activity levels during the year.

We know there's a 4% decrease in adult participation in any type of activity during the winter months compared to the summer months, resulting in a decline of 1.8 million adults.

Therefore, we set out to understand the changes to habits and behaviours, motivations and barriers and challenges faced by people throughout the year.

Activity Check-in - seasonal changes Download the file - 412.4 KB

Volunteering

For most volunteers in sport and physical activity the experience is a positive one, and there are many volunteers who give a significant amount of time to the cause.

However, we've seen rates of volunteering in sport and physical activity decline in recent years, with an increase in demand for both time and responsibility having a negative impact on their experience.

This document explores the questions behind this decline - what's happening to volunteers and why might they be choosing to leave, and shares some ideas on how to retain current, re-engage lapsed and attract new volunteers.

Activity Check-in - volunteering Download the file - 1.41 MB

Young adults

This report explores the decline in physical activity levels we see in young adults aged 16-24 from under-represented groups.

We know that interest in physical activity is low in this age group and they struggle to identify the importance and benefits of exercise.

Therefore, we’ve set out to understand their perceptions, priorities, how inequalities make it harder to be active, and ask if current provision meets their needs.

Activity Check-in - young adults Download the file - 872.26 KB

Each wave of the Activity Check-in captures views on a specific topic of current relevance.

Through this approach, and using a unique combination of both quantitative and qualitative data, the Activity Check-in allows us to monitor changes early and enable us to intervene quickly.

The data for each wave (tracker and topic), as well as tracker and topic questions, can be found below.

Activity Check-in - tracker questions Download the file - 327.06 KB

Wave 9

Planning for Wave 9 is underway and our intention is for it to be run in early November 2023.

This will be our third and final wave looking at the summer of sport and specifically the impact of major sporting events on sport and physical activity.

Wave 8

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 8 ran from 18-21 August 2023 and, alongside the core tracker questions, once again delved into the topic of school summer holidays, building on the initial findings in Wave 3.

Wave 8 contained a qualitative element which also ran during August 2023, and a combined report of these findings will be available in due course.

Activity Check-in - Wave 8 data tables Download the file - 24.2 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 8 topic questions Download the file - 211.17 KB
See less

Wave 7

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 7 ran from 9-13 June 2023 and, alongside the core tracker questions, delved into adding further/follow up depth on young adults following wave 4 and establishing a baseline position on the impact of major events on activity levels.

You can view the resources linked to this wave below.

Please note, there's a second table containing ‘boost’ data as additional sample was collected for 16-24-year-olds to allow more detailed analysis of the topic questions – boost data shouldn't be applied to tracker questions.

Activity Check-in - Wave 7 data tables Download the file - 20.48 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 7 boost data Download the file - 11.06 MB Activity Check-in - Wave 7 topic questions Download the file - 204.59 KB
See less

Wave 6

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 6 ran from 31 March to 3 April 2023 and, alongside the core tracker questions, delved into the topic of the impact of changing seasons on activity levels.

The resources linked to this wave are available below and a summary report focusing on the impact of changing seasons on activity levels will also be available in the 'Thematic reports' tab of this page shortly.

Activity Check-in - Wave 6 data tables Download the file - 24.41 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 6 topic questions Download the file - 181.06 KB
See less

Wave 5

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 5 ran from 4-7 February 2023 and, alongside the core tracker questions, revisited the financial impact of cost-of-living increases explored in Wave 1.

The resources linked to this wave are available below and a summary report developed for Wave 1 focusing on the cost of living has been updated to include these new findings - it's available in the 'Thematic reports' tab of this page.

Activity Check-in - Wave 5 data tables Download the file - 20.69 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 5 topic questions Download the file - 204.56 KB
See less

Wave 4

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 4 ran from 11-14 November 2022 and, alongside the core tracker questions, delved into the topic of declining activity levels among young adults.

In February 2023 this was developed further with an online community and focus groups to collect qualitative data that further explores the lifestyles of young people today and how activity does or doesn't fit in.

You can view the resources linked to this wave below.

Please note there is a second table containing ‘boost’ data as additional sample was collected for 16–24-year-olds to allow more detailed analysis of the topic questions – boost data should not be applied to tracker questions.

A summary report focusing on the declining activity levels among young adults is available in the 'Thematic reports' tab of this page.

Activity Check-in - Wave 4 data tables Download the file - 24.24 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 4 boost data Download the file - 16.16 MB Activity Check-in - Wave 4 topic questions Download the file - 187.52 KB
See less

Wave 3

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 3 ran from 19-22 August 2022 and, alongside the core tracker questions, delved into the topic of school summer holidays.

Through the angles of both parent and child perspectives, this wave explored both what sport and physical activity children and young people do in the school holidays and their attitudes towards it.

You can view the resources linked to this wave below, and a summary report focusing on the activity during the school holidays can be seen in the 'Thematic reports' tab of this page.

Activity Check-in - Wave 3 data tables Download the file - 23.86 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 3 topic questions Download the file - 178.02 KB
See less

Wave 2

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 2 ran from 15-18 July 2022 and, alongside the core tracker questions, delved into the topic of volunteer experiences through the angles of current, lapsed and non-volunteers.

You can view the resources linked to this wave below, and a summary report focusing on the experience of volunteers can be seen in the 'Thematic reports' tab of this page.

Activity Check-in - Wave 2 data tables Download the file - 18.15 MB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 2 topic questions Download the file - 215.14 KB
See less

Wave 1

The quantitative data collection period for Wave 1 ran from 25-28 March 2022, and alongside the core tracker questions, delved into the topic of coronavirus (Covid-19) recovery through the angles of perceived ability to be active, opportunities to be active and motivations for doing so.

In June 2022 this is being developed further with an online community to collect qualitative data that further explores the feelings of not feeling fit enough and financial concerns.

You can view the Wave 1 analysis report and the resources linked to this wave below, and a summary report focusing on the cost of living can be seen in the 'Thematic reports' tab of this page.

Activity Check-in - Wave 1 findings report Download the file - 779.54 KB See more

Activity Check-in - Wave 1 data tables Download the file - 12.83 MB Activity Check-in - Wave 1 topic questions Download the file - 151.04 KB
See less