Millennials are prioritising spending their disposable income* on their health and fitness over other leisure activities such as eating out and drinking socially, according to a survey released today by ukactive.

The polling**, carried out by Savanta on behalf of ukactive, the UK’s trade body for the physical activity sector, found that health and fitness came at the top of spending priorities for Millennials, with almost a quarter (23%) investing in gym memberships and other fitness services.

Of all the age groups surveyed, those aged 25 to 34 led the way in spending on health and fitness/gym memberships, showing they are investing in their long-term health and fitness over short-term pleasures.

The next most popular area of spending for Millennials was holidays (14%), while health and fitness was almost four times as popular as eating out or drinking socially, which only six per cent regarded as their priority.

In comparison, 16% of 16–24-year-olds prioritised spending on health and fitness/gym memberships, 21% of 35–44-year-olds, 13% of 45–44-year-olds, 10% of 55–64-year-olds, 9% of 65–74-year-olds and 10% of those over 75.

The overall figures across all ages show that Brits are spending three times more on their health and fitness than they are on drinking socially (15% vs 5%). Options such as eating out (9%) were also lower on the charts, suggesting that many are choosing to invest their money in gym memberships for their long-term health and wellbeing.

The findings come as health-conscious Brits pledge to kickstart their fitness routines this January, with thousands of gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools across the UK welcoming new members through their doors.

The quarterly polling questioned more than 6,000 people from April to September 2024 and found that the top spending trends across all age groups were:
Putting money into savings (27%)
Spending it on holidays (20%)
Spending on health and fitness/gym memberships (14%).
Shopping (other than food) (11%)
Eating out (10%)
Watching sport (6%)
Drinking socially (5%)

For the 1,030 Millennials surveyed, the top priorities were:
Savings (25%)
Health and fitness/gym memberships (23%)
Holidays (14%)

ukactive’s quarterly polling also showed that prioritising spending of health and fitness/gym memberships has gone up each quarter, while spending money on eating out is gradually declining.

January is commonly the busiest month in the sector’s gym and fitness facilities, with demand and footfall continuing to peak across the first quarter of the year. More than 10 million people are members of a gym in the UK, with fitness and leisure facilities serving more than 17 million people a year.
UK gyms and leisure centres offer prices and packages to suit all budgets, with memberships starting from as little as £4 a week.
ukactive is calling on the Government to capitalise on this demand and support all fitness facilities in their growth ambitions so that everyone – no matter their age, background or ability – can access these essential services to support their physical and mental health. It wants to grow the number of members to more than 15 million people by 2030.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “More and more people are really prioritising their long-term health and wellbeing by investing in their fitness, whether by joining the gym, going for a swim or trying a new class.
“Our polling shows Millennials are leading the way, but we want people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the benefits of leading a more active life.
“January is a great time to commit to being more active for your physical and mental health but the key to maintaining that habit is to find an activity you really enjoy.
“It’s time for the Government to recognise this demand and help to get the nation moving more, because the future of our NHS and our economic growth depend on it.”
Research last year from Sport England found physical activity helps prevent 600,000 cases of type 2 diabetes a year, 57,000 cases of dementia, and saves £540m in reduced GP visits. It also prevents 1.3 million cases of depression, creating savings for mental health services of £780m