Financial support for sport and exercise
There are several ways you might be able to get financial support for sports and exercise.
Finding discounted and free sports activities
National Disability Sports Organisations list free and discounted activities on their websites:
You could also search for activities through:
You could also search where you live:
Check what activities your local council offers. Some councils have a disability sports development officer you can speak with.
Find your local council (GOV.UK)
You could also look for groups that run free activities in your area on social media or Meetup.
If you cannot find anything in your area, you could try exercising from home.
Club membership and offers
Many clubs, leisure centres and gyms offer membership where you pay a yearly fee and get discounts on activities. Some venues may have offers on classes too. For example, 10 classes for the price of 8. Or taster sessions where you can try a sport for free. There may also be an option to spread payments.
Employer schemes
If you work, you could check if your employer offers any staff benefits such as:
discounted or free gym membership
help to buy a bike through a cycle to work scheme
Grants for sport and exercise
There may be grants to help fund your sports and exercise depending on your needs and where you live. Some grants are for individuals, while others are only available to clubs or venues. Try looking for sports grants through:
You could also try:
- a disability charity linked to your condition
- the national governing body for your chosen sport
Help with equipment
Clubs may have equipment you can use.
To fund equipment or kit for a particular activity, you could see if a local club or venue is willing to help you pay for it.
Some clubs offer grants and funding to individuals.
Personal budgets and direct payments
You might be able to get a personal budget or direct payments to pay for sport and exercise. For example, club and gym memberships or social groups.
This is money from your local authority. It is used to pay for the support you need.
Sport and exercise can be part of a:
support and care plan
Support and care plan
To get a support and care plan you need to apply for a needs assessment.
If you’re eligible, you will receive direct payments. You can only use this money for things that have been agreed on your support and care plan.
Apply for a needs assessment by social services (GOV.UK)
Educational, health and care plan (EHCP)
To get an EHCP that includes sport and exercise, you must be:
under 25
in education
unable to access the physical activities that are available
The EHCP needs to include a personal budget for sport and exercise. You can only use this money for things that have been agreed on your plan.
If your EHCP does not have financial support for sport, you can ask for a review.
Sport and exercise through your GP
Your GP can refer you to community schemes or projects for things like sports, cooking and healthy eating, arts activities and befriending. This is called 'social prescribing'.
What is social prescribing? (Healthy London Partnership video on YouTube)
Ask your GP what's available in your area. They may refer you to a link worker in England or a community connector in Wales who can help you think about your health and wellbeing needs.
You may need to pay for activities or sessions, but these are usually discounted.
There is also a National Exercise Referral Scheme in Wales where you can use sports facilities at discounted prices.
If your GP is not familiar with social prescribing, you could:
contact a disability charity to see if they know of any schemes where you live
ask people about their experiences of social prescribing on Scope's online community
See social prescribing projects by health board in Wales (NHS Wales)
Last reviewed by Scope on: 02/08/2023
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