This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate due to take place on 19 December 2018 in the House of Lords on the motion moved by Lord Moynihan (Conservative), “that this House takes note of how sport, recreation and the arts contribute to the wellbeing of society”.
Sport, Recreation and the Arts (273KB PDF)
The Government has reviewed evidence suggesting that both sport and the arts can positively affect health, wellbeing, community cohesion, social behaviour, and individuals’ outcomes. This review is considered in the first section of this briefing, alongside evidence gathered by Sport England and the Arts Council England. For the avoidance of doubt, recreational activities (for example, walking or going to museums and galleries) are considered under the sport and the arts headings in the same section.
The second and third sections of the briefing highlight data on wellbeing in the UK and on participation and engagement rates with sport and culture. As part of its measuring national wellbeing programme, the Office for National Statistics has reported an average rate of 7.7 out of 10 for life satisfaction in England and in the UK. The UK’s score (when compared against other countries in 2015) was around the OECD-country average.
Sport England and Arts Council England have surveyed participation in their respective sectors. Their reports found that:
This briefing sets out further breakdowns of engagement levels, including types of activity and participation by different age groups.
The final section of the briefing summarises sport and cultural engagement policies. This includes programmes and funding managed by Sport England and by Arts Council England, such as those intended to engage with under-represented groups. The briefing also refers to the Government’s 2015 Sporting Future
Sport, Recreation and the Arts (273KB PDF)
In January 2026, the government announced a new scheme to support urgent repairs and essential improvements to listed places of worship. Called the ‘Places of worship renewal fund for England’, it replaced the ‘Listed places of worship grant scheme’ which had run since 2001. This briefing provides an overview of both schemes, the government’s reasoning for the change and the reaction of stakeholders.
There have been big differences in expenditure across different forms of healthcare for a number of years. In 2024/25, spending on acute care was £74.7bn, compared to £14.5bn on primary care and £13.8bn on community services. Both the 2024 Labour Party manifesto and the subsequent 10 year health plan for England contained an emphasis on shifting towards more care being delivered in local communities rather than in acute settings, dubbed a ‘neighbourhood health service’.
Concerns about abuse and intimidation towards elected representatives have increased in recent years. The Jo Cox Civility Commission made a number of recommendations in a 2024 report to address this because of concerns that this activity would dissuade people from standing in elections and encourage existing representatives to stand down. The government has instigated a number of policies to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives.
