Nursery World - Austerity 'highly likely' to have caused 'shocking' damage to nation's health

Ten years after his landmark review on health inequalities in England, Professor Sir Michael Marmot’s update reveals a growing gap in health between the North and South, with life expectancy failing to rise for the first time in over 100 years.

People do not have enough money to lead a healthy life, with a large number resorting to food banks, the report says

According to the ‘Healthy Equity in England’ report, which was commissioned by the Health Foundation, health inequalities have widened, and the nation’s health has deteriorated overall.

Sir Michael said it was ‘highly likely' that austerity was responsible ‘for life expectancy flat-lining, people’s health deteriorating and the widening of health inequalities’.

There has also been an increase in the North/South health gap, with the largest fall in life expectancy in the most deprived 10 per cent of neighbourhoods in the North East, and the largest increases in life expectancy in the least deprived 10 per cent of neighbourhoods in London.

The 10-years on review calls for the prime minister to take action. Referring to the Government’s pledge to ‘level up’, the report says that the goal should be to bring the level of deprived areas in the North up to the good health of those living in London and the South.

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