INDUSTRY VIEW
GEORGE THOMPSON • MATT HAMPSON FOUNDATION
Creating spaces where disabled people truly belong
T here is a 16-million-strong £100m market that the health tness and leisure industry still does not include fully. According to the 2021 Census, 24% of the UK population has a disability. But when was the last time you saw 1 in 4 members of a gym as disabled? ‘The Inactivity Gap’ says 41% of disabled people are inactive in the UK, compared
the issue, but it takes someone special to create an environment which is truly inclusive and welcoming for all. Take a Spin class, possibly the most common
class run in almost every facility across the country, as an example and put a hand bike in a spin studio so a wheelchair user can take part.
Solutions like this make someone feel like they belong, not just that they’re allowed. Part of the community, not an inconvenience.
with 21% of non-disabled people. As an industry which aims to help as many people as possible to be active, this is a worrying statistic, but it may be your rst time reading it and that’s part of the problem. There is potential to change so many lives. Increasing activity means more independence, improved health outcomes and quality of life. However, several barriers remain. Of the inactive 41%, over half say they want to be active but do not know where to start (Activity Alliance). That is huge group of people holding out a hand, just waiting for someone in the industry to grab hold. But inclusivity runs deeper than having a ramp to the front door. Disabled people want a service of the same standard as everyone else. They want classes they can attend, equipment they can access and staff with whom they can engage. This is where we get it wrong. Inclusivity must be more than the legal minimum. The Inclusive Fitness initiative made a start on this, but there is still more to be done. Anyone can put in a ramp and coloured handles, and claim they’ve solved
Gym oor and non-gym oor staff have a role to play in creating this environment. From using the right language and understanding needs of disabled people to creating spaces where they belong and feel wanted. Too many outdated views persist which frame disabled
“24% of the UK population has a disability, but when do we see 1 in 4 gym members represented.”
people as a risk to be mitigated rather than a life to be changed. Some see disabled people as one of two things, a Paralympian or a burden, and we need to change that. Disabled people make up a huge part of our society and are crying out for inclusion in these spaces. The industry has all the skills and knowledge to change so many lives, but we need to be better at helping people access that knowledge.
George Thompson, Specialist Sports Therapist, Matt Hampson Foundation
37
STATE OF THE UK FITNESS INDUSTRY REPORT 2026
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online