Marmot Review

It is ten years since the publication of Marmot Review which looked at health inequalities across the UK (read more here Institute of Health Equity)

A new report shows that for the first time in more than 100 years life expectancy has failed to increase across the country, and for the poorest 10% of women it has declined.  Over the last decade health inequalities have widened overall, and the amount of time people spend in poor health has increased since 2010.

The key points of the report are:

The more deprived the area, the shorter the life expectancy. This social gradient has become steeper over the last decade, and it is women in the most deprived 10% of areas for whom life expectancy fell from 2010-12 and 2016-18.

There are marked regional differences in life expectancy, particularly among people living in more deprived areas.

Mortality rates are increasing for men and women aged 45-49 – perhaps related to so-called ‘deaths of despair’ (suicide, drugs and alcohol abuse) as seen in the USA.

Child poverty has increased (22% compared to Europe’s lowest of 10% in Norway, Iceland and The Netherlands); children’s and youth centres have closed; funding for education is down.

There is a housing crisis and a rise in homelessness; people have insufficient money to lead a healthy life; and there are more ignored communities with poor conditions and little reason for hope.