Taking action on health inequality to Parliament

Our parliamentary champions include MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum.
They have committed to campaign alongside us and ensure action on the building blocks of health is front-and-centre in national policymaking.

After launching our Shelf Life campaign in the summer, in November 2026 we brought its message to Parliament, making the case that the government’s ambition for growth will only succeed if it is matched by action on health inequalities. Hosted by our parliamentary champion, Dr Beccy Cooper MP, the event brought together MPs, Peers and Health Equals supporters behind a shared ambition: creating the conditions for good health in every postcode.

Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, Lord Peter Babudu, and author and campaigner Darren McGarvey joined us to highlight a clear message: if the government is serious about delivering growth in every postcode, it must tackle the health inequalities holding communities back.

Fresh from the government’s announcement to ringfence spending on prevention, and with the Health Bill making its way through Parliament, the reception strengthened support for our call to put equal health at the heart of decision-making across government.

Creating good health in every postcode

Hosted by Dr Beccy Cooper MP, the event brought together MPs, Peers and the Health Equals coalition behind a shared ambition: creating the conditions for good health in every postcode.

Your shelf life. Reduced to clear?

We brought the life-size packaging from our Shelf Life campaign into Parliament to shine a spotlight on one of the UK's starkest inequalities: an 18-year gap in life expectancy.

Good health and growth go hand-in-hand

Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, shared her perspective on the role government can play in tackling health inequalities and building a healthier, fairer future for everyone.

Stepping up to the challenge

Darren McGarvey, author, campaigner and long-standing supporter of Health Equals, joined us in Parliament once again to remind us about the real-life impact that inequality is having across the UK.

A collective call for change

We were joined by many members and supporters from across our coalition, adding their voices to the growing call for cross-government action to tackle the root causes of ill health.

Which Parliamentarians are championing our campaign?

So far, we've had over 130

MPs and Peers show their commitment to narrow the health gap in parts of the UK.

Explore the full list of champions here

131

Is your MP a
Health Equals Champion?

Search for their name or the name of your constituency to find out.

Despite this momentum, we still need your help to keep the government to their promise

Do you want your MP to commit to tackling health inequalities?

Ask them to join our Parliamentary Champions Network and support a change in the law to create better health in every postcode.

Write to your MP today

Here's a reminder of our campaigning last year

PREVIOUS PARLIAMENTARY RECEPTIONS

In July 2025, we headed to Parliament — one year on from the government’s health mission pledge to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas of the country.

Hosted by one of our parliamentary champions, Afzal Khan MP, the event was a pivotal moment to take stock, spark action, and push forward our shared goal: making equal health a reality. Alongside our members, supporters, and award-winning author and activist Darren McGarvey, we came together with a united voice, calling for a bold, cross-government strategy to close the health gap.

We were pleased to be joined by the then-Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, who spoke about the government’s ongoing commitment to tackling health inequalities and the underlying drivers of ill-health.

It was a fantastic moment to continue building cross-party momentum and strengthen the effort needed to turn ambition into action.

Making equal health a reality

Hosted by Afzal Khan MP, our reception brought together MPs from across the Parliamentary Champions Network, alongside the then-Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, with one clear message: it’s time to tackle health inequalities.

Reflecting on the government's 10-Year Health Plan

The then-Minister Ashley Dalton looked back on the progress made in tackling health inequalities during Labour’s first year in government and shared what’s ahead following the release of the 10-Year Plan.

A united call for action

Darren McGarvey, author, campaigner and long-standing supporter of our campaign, shared his first-hand experience of poverty and inequality, and called for united action on the building blocks of health.

A united call for action

A strong show of support came from our members and wider community, who joined us in urging MPs to commit to making equal health a reality across the UK.

Reflecting on the government's 10-Year Health Plan

This followed on from our very first parliamentary reception in November 2024 — hosted by Emma Lewell-Buck MP — which brought the ‘youngest ever protest’ to Parliament to launch our Parliamentary Champions Network.

As part of our Make Health Equal campaign in 2023, we partnered with renowned photographer Emli Bendixen to create a one-of-a-kind exhibition, shining the spotlight on 50 babies from across the UK to highlight the 16-year gap in life expectancy between places in Britain because of things like income, housing and air quality.

It provided a unique opportunity for MPs to understand the scale of health inequalities both nationally and within their own constituencies.

Bringing the ‘youngest protest’ to Parliament

To launch our campaign, we travelled the UK to capture images of the next generation at risk of poor health and shorter lives. Now, we’ve taken them to Parliament to show MPs how health inequalities are cutting lives short across the UK.

Bringing the ‘youngest protest’ to Parliament

We were joined by cross-party MPs to pledge their support for our campaign in Parliament, hosted by Emma Lewell-Buck, MP for South Shields and Andrew Gwynne, MP for Gorton and Denton.

Our regional champions

We’ve named regional champions to help keep momentum driving forward and bring health to the forefront of the agenda in Westminster – including, Emma Lewell-Buck MP, Beccy Cooper MP, Sarah Owen MP, Afzal Khan MP and Sian Berry MP.

Hearing from our members

Dominic Watters, a food poverty campaigner for The Food Foundation who lives in Canterbury, shared his first-hand lived experience of food insecurity and poverty, and how this has impacted his family’s health.