Engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining an active lifestyle can play an important role in the lives of disabled people.

Disabled People

There are 18,803 disabled people living in Milton Keynes and 27,655 disabled people living in Buckinghamshire (2021 Census) – around 20% of the respective populations.
They are less likely to be active than non-disabled residents. Engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining an active lifestyle can play an important role in the lives of disabled people. It contributes to their overall health and well-being, from enhancing mobility and improving cardiovascular health to boosting mental well-being, as well as fostering social connections and developing life skills..

Twice as likely to be inactive

Disabled adults, and those with a long-term health condition, are twice as likely to be inactive as non-disabled adults. According to the latest Active Lives Adult Survey 2024-25, 39.3% of disabled adults are inactive (achieving less than 30 minutes of activity per week) compared to 19.7% of non-disabled adults. (Sport England Active Lives Adult Survey 2024-25).

In addition, disabled people are more likely than non-disabled people to say they want to be more active (76% vs 54%). (Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey (June 2024) This “activity gap” has remained consistent in recent years, showing an ongoing unmet need.

The responses also showed that disabled people’s mental health and wellbeing continue to be disproportionately affected. Ethnically diverse disabled people were more likely to report feeling lonely often or always than white disabled people (35% vs 19%). Around two-thirds of disabled people who experience loneliness agreed that being active could help them feel less lonely (66%). We are working in partnership with others to increase the opportunities for these residents to move more.