The Government needs to do more to reach key groups who are less likely to be active including women, the least affluent and Black and Asian people, auditors have said.

A new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) found that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was making some progress in increasing national participation in sport and physical activity until the pandemic.

The percentage of active adults increased from 62.1% in the year to November 2016 to 63.3% in the year to November 2019. This is equivalent to 1.1 million additional active adults, more than double the government's target of 500,000.

However, it also found that some groups did not benefit from the gains. Women, the least affluent and Black and Asian people – these are the groups least likely to benefit from sports.

Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said: ‘Grassroots participation in sport did not receive the post-London Olympics and Paralympics boost hoped for at the time. Since 2015 DCMS has refocused its approach on the benefits of sport and physical activity, targeting the inactive.

‘Overall activity levels were gradually increasing before the pandemic but these gains were lost as facilities and clubs were disrupted. In recovering the position, DCMS should also tackle persistent inequalities in participation.’

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: ‘This report is right to set out the need for an effective cross-government strategy to deliver the support and infrastructure needed to help our communities experience the benefits of being active, something the LGA has long called for. This requires accessible, affordable opportunities that can be integrated into everyday life.

‘This week, the LGA joined a coalition of sport and physical activity organisations to set out what is needed to help the sector thrive, reach a more diverse audience, and transform the role our sector can play in the national renewal. This includes the delivery of key cross-government priorities including Levelling Up, strengthening public services, driving economic growth and Net Zero.

‘The sport and physical activity sector is ready to deliver. We look forward to working with government to achieve these benefits.'