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Rugby: Public Participation

Asked by Blake StephensonConservativeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled Answered 12 May 2025UIN 49571

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support increased participation in grassroots rugby.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport, including rugby, at grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.

Sport England provides long term investment to the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League, the National Governing Bodies for rugby. The Rugby Football Union receives £13.9 million from 2022-27 and the Rugby Football League (RFL) receives £11.9 million from 2022-2025 of funding to support grassroots rugby league.

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