British Cycling’s member count has fallen by more than 11,000 people in a year, the organisation’s latest company accounts have revealed.
Covering the 12 months to the end of March 2025, the accounts show an almost 9% drop off in membership, from 128,663 in 2024, down to 117,475. This decline extends to 15% over a two-year period, after members totalled 137,968 in 2023.
Despite this, income from membership increased slightly for the first time since Covid, up from £5.79 million to £5.89 million. British Cycling said it has boosted its “average income per member” following the launch of a tiered system in April 2024. The three tiers of membership are: supporter (free), member (£50 per year), and premium member (£80 per year).
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Previously, prices ranged across tiers for fans, commuters and racers, with an entry-level racing membership costing £27.
Approached for comment about the declining member count, a British Cycling spokesperson told Cycling Weekly: “We have made a significant investment for the long-term through digital transformation which will revolutionise the member experience.
“However, we cannot ignore the strain of the cost of living on households, and the challenges this brings for membership organisations across the board. That is why we are getting ahead of the curve to strengthen our products and provide experiences for our audiences which are more engaging and tailored to their interests and needs.”
‘Monumental year’
Despite the member count losses, British Cycling chair Frank Slevin wrote in the report that it had been a “monumental year” for the organisation.
Slevin praised British Cycling’s “innovative new commercial strategy”, which brought on new partners like Lloyds, and helped lead the governing body to its first financial surplus in four years, albeit £17,488.
“The 2024/25 financial year has been a positive year for British Cycling Federation with income growth from commercial partnerships, membership and local authority partnerships along with strong cost control,” the report says. “British Cycling Federation has generated a surplus for the first time since 2020/21 and a year earlier than our financial plan.”
British Cycling also generated £1.38m from the 2024 Lloyds Tour of Britain Men and Women events, which it took over organising in February last year.
More than half of British Cycling’s £33m revenue comes from grant income; during the financial year, the governing body received £9.88 million from UK Sport to fund its performance programmes and the Great Britain Cycling Team, and £7.24 million from Sport England for community and grassroots projects.
Reflecting on the year, British Cycling CEO Jon Dutton said: “This year has been a testament to our resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to bringing the joy of cycling to everyone. Despite a challenging economic landscape, our collective efforts have yielded remarkable achievements, both on and off the field of play.”
There is now a hope that the Tour de France UK Grand Départ in 2027, of which British Cycling is a key stakeholder, will inspire more people to take up cycling and help drive progress.
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