The programme, known as “Marathon a Month“, is expected to launch in early 2027 as part of the NHS’s wider 10-year health plan for England. According to the BBC, participants will be able to record their walks using a smartphone, smartwatch or an online platform, with incentives and discounts offered to those who complete the monthly target.
The initiative has been developed in partnership with Olympic medallist Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, and is intended to encourage long-term changes in everyday behaviour rather than promote organised sport. Health officials hope the approach will appeal to people who currently do little or no regular exercise.
NHS Aims to Encourage Lasting Habits through Daily Walking
The challenge asks participants to walk for approximately 30 minutes every day. Completing this consistently over a month amounts to roughly 26 miles, the equivalent distance of a marathon. According to the BBC, NHS England hopes to attract more than 100,000 participants, with daily activity recorded digitally throughout the programme.
Sir Brendan Foster said the campaign has a deliberately simple objective. “I’m known for running, but the ambition here is far simpler. We just want people to walk. Simple,” he told the BBC. He also said the initiative is designed to take advantage of “streak” culture, where maintaining consecutive days of activity becomes a source of motivation, similar to features used by apps such as Duolingo and Snapchat.
According to the BBC, physical inactivity is associated with one in six deaths, while Sport England’s latest survey found that nearly a quarter of adults in England, around 12 million people, completed less than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week during the year to November 2025. Sir Brendan said that walking for 30 minutes five times each week could add up to four years of healthy life.
Rewards Will Rely on External Partners Rather than NHS Funding
Participants who successfully complete the challenge will become eligible for rewards, although full details have yet to be announced. According to the BBC, the incentives may include discounts or vouchers, with further information expected in the coming months before the scheme officially begins.
The NHS will cover the initial development of the programme, while the rewards themselves will be supported through partnerships with organisations from both the public and private sectors. Health officials said the NHS would not fund the incentives directly. General practitioners and other healthcare professionals will also be encouraged to promote the initiative to patients.
One member of the organising team is Sir Keith Mills, founder of the original Air Miles and Nectar loyalty schemes, whose experience is expected to contribute to the rewards programme. According to the BBC, the longer-term ambition is to attract philanthropic backing from major companies as the initiative expands.
The programme has also received cautious support from public health organisations. Sonia Pombo, head of research and impact at Action on Salt & Sugar, said encouraging regular movement through simple and achievable goals could help more people become active. She added that wider government action on prevention would still be needed alongside initiatives aimed at changing individual behaviour.
