Group exercise has widespread appeal across different demographics / Shutterstock/SeventyFour
The national governing body for group exercise in the UK – EMD UK (Exercise, Movement and Dance) – is calling for government support, as new research show the positive impact of the activity.
The Social Value of Group Exercise Evaluation Report, compiled by the research team at the Sport and Recreation Alliance, found that group exercise has significant social and economic value, contributing more than £5.3 billion in social value and saving the health service (NHS) more than £511 million each year.
The findings have officially been shared today (25 March 2025) at a parliamentary reception hosted by EMD UK and attended by MPs, industry stakeholders and group exercise instructors.
The report calculated that group exercise saves 1.6 NHS appointments every year and prevents 26,000 cases of Type II diabetes, leading to an NHS saving of £511 million.
Group exercise also has a sizeable uptake among groups who are commonly less active. The researchers found that 7.1 million women; 1.6 million people over 65; 4.1 million people with characteristics of inequality, and 1.3 million people living with a disability and/or long-term health condition participate regularly.
Engaging 10.6 million adult participants and 500,000 children and young people, group exercise is more popular than cycling, swimming, or football.
Group exercise supports a workforce of 60,000 instructors in the UK, however EMD UK says 55 per cent of these are considering leaving their jobs because of rising costs around facility hire and music licensing.
Given that it’s such a powerfool tool for promoting inclusivity, addressing inactivity, fostering social connections and improving both mental and physical health, EMD UK is calling on the government to support group exercise.
The national governing body is asking for investment, so it can support the workforce. EMD UK also wants group exercise to be recognised as a key component of social prescribing within the NHS and would like to see access to group exercise programmes strengthened, so more people can participate.
Gill Cummings-Bell, CEO of EMD UK, says: “We’ve always championed the role of group exercise instructors in building healthier, happier communities. This report provides the hard evidence to back up what we already knew: that group exercise is a vital component of our nation’s health and should be recognised as such in future investment and policy decisions.
“This report provides the first concrete evidence of the value group exercise is delivering today. The 60,000 instructors delivering group exercise across the UK are perfectly placed to support the government in its ambition to improve population health, reduce inequalities and promote healthy, independent lives.
“We very much hope that through evidencing the contribution group exercise is making to society, we can work together with government to help safeguard this vital resource, both now and in the future, to deliver a healthier, more prosperous Britain.”
The report is available free of charge here.
