Leading swim groups and industry bodies have warned pools could close if the government does not provide urgent funding to aid with rocketing energy bills.

Swim England, ukactive, the Local Government Association, Community Leisure UK and other groups all addressed a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Swimming in Westminster this morning.

Sport minster Nigel Huddleston MP, heard that energy price surges of between 100 -150 per cent across the leisure industry are putting many swimming pools on the brink of closure.

Ukactive say the total energy bill for the sector has soared from £500 million in 2019 to £1.0 to £1.2 billion in 2022.

Swim England chief executive Jane Nickerson said following the discussion: “We know the huge role swimming plays in the health and wellbeing of the nation – the physical and mental health benefits of swimming for people of all ages are many and are undoubted. Swimming saves the NHS and social care system a minimum of £357 million per year.

“This has never been more important than after the past two years but the energy crisis poses a clear and present threat to the future of many facilities.
“With 40 per cent of people who exercise in the water not doing any other form of exercise, the loss of these facilities would be disastrous.