The latest research shows that every £1 invested in community sport and exercise generates £4.38 for the public purse. This includes savings to the NHS, chronic illness prevention, improved workforce productivity and enhanced health and happiness for millions of people.

In addition, £14 billion in tax revenue is generated by grassroots sport and exercise every year, representing a six or seven-fold return on investment.

The research finds that being able to regularly take part in grassroots sport and exercise delivers a wide range of other economic and social benefits, including productivity savings of £6 billion due to a healthier workforce.

It is estimated that the healthcare system benefits from around £8 billion in direct savings. More than 3.3 million cases of chronic health conditions are prevented each year, including 1.3 million cases of depression, 900,000 cases of back pain and 700,000 cases of Type 2 diabetes.

In addition, a total of £123 billion of social value a year is contributed.

Chair of Sport England, Chris Boardman, said: ‘Inactivity is quietly draining our economy, health system, and our communities, but we can change that. Excitingly, the solution is right in front of us: movement.’

Sport England chief executive, Simon Hayes, said: ‘Health is wealth, and our new research confirms this. Sport and exercise are vital to our economy and society and must be part of the solution to big problems.’

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England, said: ‘Those living in the most deprived areas have avoidably shorter lives and longer periods of preventable ill health; therefore, the health and social benefit of even small amounts of physical activity is greater in these areas.

‘More needs to be done to remove barriers and support particular deprived groups to engage in sport, exercise and wider physical activity.’