New concession scheme helps Wigan Borough residents Be Well For Less
Councillor Chris Ready at Robin Park Leisure Centre's new-look gym
Even more Wigan Borough residents will be able to get active at their local leisure centre thanks to the launch of a new concession scheme.
‘Be Well For Less’ offers a third off the price of fitness memberships, children’s swimming lessons and other leisure activities for people meeting certain criteria.
Those who’ll be eligible include residents entitled to Pension Credit, Carer’s Allowance, Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit among others.
Discounts will also be available at Be Well Outdoors activity centres Scotman’s Flash and Haigh High Ropes & Adventure.
Councillor Chris Ready, Wigan Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “As part of our Progress with Unity missions, we’re committed to tackling many of the inequalities that exist within our communities and creating fair opportunities for all our residents.
“When it comes to physical, mental and social wellbeing, being active is so important – and Be Well plays a major role in supporting and empowering local people to live healthier, happier and more active lives.
“Our Be Well memberships and activities are already great value, but with the launch of Be Well For Less we’re making our leisure centres and outdoor adventure attractions even more accessible to more and more people.
“Being active and healthy isn’t a luxury, it’s essential – and by lowering some of the financial barriers people face and giving more residents access to the resources and support they need to thrive, we hope to have a long-term positive impact on the health and happiness of our borough.”
On top of its many free walking and cycling activities across the borough, Be Well’s fitness memberships have recently reached a record high, with more than 18,200 members across the seven council-run leisure centres at Ashton, Hindley, Howe Bridge, Leigh, Robin Park, Standish and Wigan.
Total visitor numbers are also up, with more than 1.4m visits between April 2025 and the end of January 2026. That’s almost 10k more visits than in the same period the previous year – rewarding the council’s £2.6m investment in improving facilities and equipment over the past 18 months.
And those figures are only expected to rise with the launch of Be Well For Less, which follows a successful 12-month pilot targeted at areas of the borough facing greater inequalities.
The scheme is now being rolled out borough-wide, with discounted rates for membership packages and pay-as-you-go activities alike.
Discounts also apply to the children of adults who receive any of the qualifying benefits, meaning the Learn to Swim programme is included along with gymnastics and tennis lessons, and more.
Proof of eligibility is required, and eligibility needs to be re-established after 12 months.
For more information, including full eligibility criteria, please visit the Be Well website (external link).
Posted on Tuesday 10th March 2026