The United Kingdom has allocated £63 million (CAD $104.5 million) for energy upgrades to public swimming pool facilities. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced the special one-year fund, to be administered by the national non-profit agency, Sport England, in the newly released 2023 budget.

“This is a significant and welcome amount of support from the government that will offer a lifeline to many public leisure centres across England as well as help sustain them into the future,” says Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive.

Soaring fuel prices, shortages of water purification chemicals and increased competition for staffing have strained the operating budgets of many of the country’s 800+ public pools. The new fund will help underwrite a switchover to low-carbon heating alternatives and other energy efficiency improvements for facility systems. Approximately £40 million (CAD $66.4 million) is earmarked for decarbonization projects that support long-term sustainability with the remainder for energy efficiency measures with shorter paybacks and to alleviate “immediate cost pressures”.

Swimming pool facilities owned by local councils or registered charities will be eligible. Sport England will release more details about the application process when they become available.

“We look forward to working with the government and Sport England to ensure support reaches all those in need,” observes Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the culture, tourism and sport board at the United Kingdom’s Local Council Association. “Councils and pool operators have worked hard to keep them open for as long as possible in the face of rising energy costs but have been warning that without investment we would have seen a large number of closures. This funding will enable us to keep the doors open, and also continue the transformation of our pools to an energy efficient future that offers a lasting legacy for communities.”