The NHS plans to reward people for walking 30 minutes a day with discounts and vouchers – 18 reactions to put a spring in your step

“Just getting my steps in” is a common refrain from the smartwatch-sporting set.

For a long while now, people have been tracking how much walking and how many steps they make on a given day. And now the NHS wants in on the action.

🚨 NEW: The NHS will reward people who walk for 30 minutes a day with discounts and vouchers from next year

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 3, 2026

Per the BBC: “Early next year, NHS England will launch a “marathon a month” challenge, asking people to walk for around 30 minutes a day. Those who do it every day will hit roughly 26 miles a month – the distance of a marathon.”

The NHS says those who hit the target will then be eligible for rewards, “which could include incentives and discounts”.

As you can imagine, the idea has made waves online, with a lot of people making jokes but others seriously questioning or criticising the intent.

1.

We used to get rewarded for taking the bus https://t.co/ZBY6Wfu6Ei pic.twitter.com/2G7KKkeip5

— Charlie Watts (@char1iewatts) July 3, 2026

2.

Are the vouchers to be used in the NHS? Wouldn't mind walking 30 minutes a day to have a shot in the MRI machine https://t.co/1EP6eJwZUA

— 🦔 (@h666ris) July 3, 2026

3.

I’ve got to get those George at Asda vouchers pic.twitter.com/s4USPiUzvH https://t.co/VRZ30RRvo6

— Tony (@AntMelia94) July 3, 2026

4.

There’s something about this that is so incidious. On the other hand, how much are we talking? https://t.co/ZJuQRutg16

— Steph (@StephanieYeboah) July 3, 2026

5.

Work smarter, not harder https://t.co/lIb7n4Z5lm pic.twitter.com/RGlqzM4zUk

— Twonks (@twonkscomics) July 3, 2026

6.

If it's not Greggs vouchers, I'm not interested https://t.co/atac3nmvzW

— Sunday Sport (@thesundaysport) July 3, 2026

7.

Kids with ten fitbits on. Entrepreneurs. https://t.co/VcDVSkIu4Q

— Al Murray 🇺🇦 (@almurray) July 3, 2026

8.

This will require monitoring your every move… https://t.co/jH6ct9kdIg

— Dr Clare Craig (@ClareCraigPath) July 3, 2026

9.

Bonkers, I average 20k steps a day, yesterday it was 33k. We shouldn’t be rewarding people for basic healthy living. There’s a good boy you’ve managed your 30 mins walk, here’s 5% off 🤦🏻‍♂️. Society needs to start taking responsibility for our own actions and lifestyles. https://t.co/FpXAdn45v1

— Cllr Iain Gall (@GallIain) July 3, 2026

10.

Honestly this is not a bad idea at all. You would not believe how insanely sedentary a significant share of the population's lifestyles are. Just 30 minutes a day would genuinely transform the health of millions of people. https://t.co/JOrRRaF10x

— James (@JamesFl) July 3, 2026

11.

Sigh

Apparently I’m not ill enough to get PIP but I’m also not well enough to get some vouchers 🤷🏻‍♀️ https://t.co/ckhbdTtKIL

— Eliza (@elizaclove) July 3, 2026

12.

It’s not mandatory and it’s an incentive to improve your health to put less stress on the NHS, the exact sort of preventative measures we should be doing in all sectors.

The angry replies for some reason: pic.twitter.com/F8g7sPmhNB

— Cuz (@HeIsTheCuz) July 3, 2026

13.

Call me cynical if you want, but what starts with a 'rewards' system can eventually expand with time, to include 'punishments' too, can't it ? pic.twitter.com/lE1n0kae3T

— Cherub Rock 💜 (@Cherub_Rock_23) July 3, 2026

14.

Due to my failing eyesight I read that as wank, and thought I would be a millionaire by Christmas. https://t.co/9iv5BfPSxg

— C Roberts(tweets from a colonised Scotland) (@CRobertsonUK) July 3, 2026

15.

I'd rather be able to see an actual Dr when my self or family need to…. https://t.co/QfBBy8EQAG

— Jacqueline Bolton (@JacquelineBolto) July 3, 2026

16.

radical idea: what if we invest whatever money is being spent here on improving the NHS so it can better provide for the disabled & chronically ill instead of giving out free money to those who likely already walk way over half an hour a day without even thinking about it https://t.co/Kzg9qrK8sN

— jessi (Literally Just Jessi) (@abandonedjessi) July 3, 2026

17.

We need a shorter work week so people have more time to take care of themselves

I honestly think this is quite patronising and doesn't really address the real reasons people are not moving their bodies regularly https://t.co/5ExVVSnt4N

— Georgina Hollifield 💚 (@sp4rkl3jumpr0p3) July 4, 2026

18.

What sort of rewards? Like a same day GP appointment? Or access to an NHS dentist?

Exercise and health is its own reward!

Let’s promote health but focus on the basics like hiring enough NHS staff! https://t.co/X56u71McJt

— Harry Eccles (@Heccles94) July 3, 2026

Source: Twitter/X/PolitlcsUK