Influencing campaigning, policy and decision making

Making sure disabled people are heard

Disabled people tell us that they often feel overlooked and underrepresented in many ways. We provide spaces and opportunities for disabled people, parents, carers and supporters of disabled people, to share their experiences to help us influence change.

In December 2024, following the launch of our new strategy, we announced our first four ambassadors: Eve Roberts, Ben Andrews, Temi Johnson, and Harrie Larrington-Spencer. They joined Honorary President Tanni Grey Thompson, Vice Presidents John Amaechi OBE and Dr Phillip Friend OBE alongside the charity’s wider network to champion change so disabled people can be as active as they want to be.  

In our online events, reports, resources and training we strive to include disabled people’s voices. During our ADAS webinar we featured a powerful panel discussion with three disabled people who had taken part in the survey. They told us the reality of trying to take part in sport and activity. And as part of the launch of our new strategy – We all belong, we featured two excellent panel discussions with disabled people and sport sector leaders.

As part of our Get Out Get Active (GOGA) programme we hosted a series of podcasts – Active Together – where we talked to disabled people and activity providers about their experiences. The series was well received with each episode receiving hundreds of views.

Our new Include to Improve Lived Experience Network provides a safe space for disabled people to share their views of taking part and working in the sport and physical activity sector.

Being active in policy discussions, consultations and campaigns

We need government commitment and leadership, across education, health, employment, and transport to fix inactivity and deep-rooted inequalities. Our growing wealth of insight helps us to influence these conversations.

We continue to engage in public affairs activity and advocate for meaningful change for disabled people. This includes being part of influential working groups for policy across the sector.

In April 2024, we launched our manifesto for change - Fight for fairness: Disabled people’s right to sport and physical activity. It was developed with contributions and insight from disabled people, advocates and organisations in the sport, physical activity, and voluntary sector.

To ensure disabled people have equal access to sports and activities, we called upon the next government to: Protect the benefits, equip health and care workers, and increase accessible outdoor spaces.

One year on from our Manifesto release, we promoted our Healthcare report and urged the Government and the NHS to equip health and care workers to ensure that better processes are in place to support disabled people to use physical activity in ways which work best for the

Throughout the year, we attended roundtable discussions in Parliament and collaborated with partners on several reports and responses:

• In March 2025 we responded to the Government’s Pathways to Work: Benefits Reform and Support Green Paper. We expressed our concern that tightening the Personal Independence Payment criteria and other social security will only make disabled people more fearful of being active or make it perceived as less affordable.
• In October we gave our response to the Autumn budget, again, raising concerns about cuts to benefits. We also signed an open letter to the chancellor on the impact of increased employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for charities.
• In September we supported Equal Play, ParalympicsGB’s campaign calling for equal access to PE and school sport for disabled children, with just one in four saying they take part in sport at school.
• In June we signed an open letter to party leaders from Nuffield Health and the Richmond Group, advocating for a concerted effort to support people with long-term conditions to move more by committing to a cross-government movement strategy.
• During the General Election campaign in June, we were part of a coalition that wrote an open letter to party leaders calling on them to consider their manifestos and commit to making the UK the most active nation in Europe.

Responding to Sport England survey results

In December 2024, we responded to Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey. We analysed the data to highlight the differences for disabled children and young people. While the survey provides valuable insights, it only captures the experiences of disabled children in mainstream schools. We are looking at ways to capture more detailed insight on disabled children’s physical activity levels in the future.  

We also responded to Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey in April 2025. Although we are pleased to see record levels of activity for adults, with the number of regularly active adults increasing by 2.4 million since the survey began, disabled people continue to be one of the least active groups. Addressing the disparity of activity levels and inequality challenges for disabled adults requires a continued joint approach across the sector and beyond.

Maximising investment

We must maximise our and partners’ investment, so we get the best for the people we champion.

We actively seek to increase our charity investment, diversify our income streams, and influence partner investment to improve disabled people’s opportunities to be active.

• In July 2024 we became a Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) Training Provider Partner. Shortly after, in September, we launched our online Learning Hub, allowing people and organisations to access paid-for training and learning linked to disabled people’s inclusion in sport and physical activity. This continues goes from strength to strength, with new courses and content being added regularly.
• Funding from Sport England in May 2025 ensured that our life-changing Get Out Get Active programme can continue for another year.
• In March 2025, additional investment from Sport England’s recover and reinvent fund enabled us to launch our new Include to Improve programme in partnership with Sport for Confidence. The two-year programme to create more opportunities for disabled people to take part, volunteer and work in sports and activities.
• In 2023 we delivered a large-scale inclusion project with The Football Association (FA) to encourage more local football clubs to open their doors to disabled people. We supported the FA to develop an online toolkit and disability training workshop to support grassroots football clubs in growing disability provision. We continue to support this.
• In November 2023 we renewed our partnership with Lions Clubs British Isles. For more than 20 years, Lions Clubs have been supporting Activity Alliance regional games and National Junior Athletics Championships. By fundraising and volunteering, Lions Clubs allow the event to be a success year on year. 
• We also provide inclusive research and inclusive communications training and consultancy servicesfor multiple partners.

This strategic and financial development ensures that we can continue to improve disabled people’s inclusion and involvement in sport and activity at all levels for many years to come.

Our internal income generation group meets to discuss and plan ahead. This includes on our fundraising strategy, where we engage in various events during the year. One of these events is the London Marathon. We are proud to receive the support from many generous fundraisers during the year who raise money for us in their way.