MPs commit to make health equal and reduce the life expectancy gap

London, UK, 6^th November 2024:  Today, MPs from across the UK, including Siân Berry, MP for Brighton Pavilion and Ayoub Khan MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, united to celebrate the launch of the Health Equals Parliamentary Champions Network, an initiative dedicated to tackling the stark health inequalities that exist in the UK, cutting thousands of lives short every year.

In parts of the UK, life expectancy is 16 years lower than in some other parts of the UK[1], and evidence shows that health inequalities are getting worse.

Health Equals, a coalition of 27 organisations across different sectors including Mind, the British Red Cross, Citizens Advice, Shelter, Crisis, People’s Health Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is calling on the new Government to prioritise the essential building blocks of health – from quality homes that are warm and safe, to stable jobs, clean air, neighbourhoods with green space, and social connections – that impact our health and how long we live.

The Parliamentary Champions Network will create a powerful alliance of cross-party local MPs working together to elevate these critical issues within Westminster, ensuring that action on the building blocks of health is front and centre in national policymaking to improve health outcomes and reduce the gap in life expectancy.

Paul McDonald, Chief Campaigns Officer at Health Equals commented:

Today marks an important step forward in putting health at the heart of government and raising awareness of the importance of a cross-government approach to reducing health inequalities. Our health is shaped by the world around us – stable jobs, quality housing, and clean environments are vital to wellbeing. Yet, these essential building blocks are not accessible to everyone.

The ONS recently released new life expectancy data for England and Wales showing further evidence of over a decade of stalling health².  Too many regions in the UK risk being left behind without robust policies that prioritise health and well-being. This is an injustice we must address together, and we look forward to campaigning alongside the Parliamentary Champions Network to make health equal.

Hosted by Emma Lewell-Buck, MP for South Shields, alongside Andrew Gwynne, MP for Gorton and Denton and Public Health and Prevention Minister, and Paul McDonald, Chief Campaigns Officer at Health Equals, the reception was attended by MP’s, peers and members and supporters of the Health Equals coalition.

Emma Lewell-Buck, MP for South Shields said:

Your life chances should not be dictated by where you are born, but they are.  Health inequalities are so stark in the UK that in parts of the North East life expectancy is up to 16 years shorter compared with other areas. For too long this inequality has been left unaddressed, that is why I was honoured to be asked to launch the Parliamentary Champions Network for the Health Equals coalition because equality of life chances is possible, if we work together we can make health equal.

Guests also heard from Dominic Watters, a Food Foundation ambassador who lives in Canterbury with first-hand lived experience of food insecurity and poverty.

Dominic, council estate single dad, and Community Researcher at University of Southampton, said:

It’s like if you’re poor your years aren’t worth as much as others. Our daily reality is riddled with food and fuel insecurity, and with the black mould and asbestos all over the block we can barely breathe fresh air.

In a powerful visual statement highlighting the urgent need to address health inequalities, Health Equals photographed 50 babies as part of its campaign to Make Health Equal, showcasing the shocking range of life expectancies across different towns and cities in the UK. This poignant imagery served as a backdrop for the event, reinforcing the message that every child deserves the same opportunity for a healthy life, no matter where they are born, work or live.

To show that you want the new Government to make health equal, sign the Health Equals petition or ask your MP to commit to tackling health inequalities at healthequals.org.uk.

Let’s #MakeHealthEqual.

Notes to Editors

For more information and interview requests with spokespeople and case studies contact: [email protected]

Health Equals member, People’s Health Trust Chief Executive, John Hume said: “As a national charity working with grassroots organisations, we know first hand how critical it is to address the building blocks which support improved health of millions. Work within local communities to address these building blocks is strong but government action is needed to make lasting improvements. MPs championing cross-party work on health inequalities is critical if the government’s health prevention ambitions are to be realised in any meaningful and impactful way.”

Life expectancy data

Sources:

• 1) Health Foundation analysis of Office for National Statistics, Life expectancy at birth for Middle layer Super Output Areas, England, 2015-19; Office for National Statistics, Life expectancy estimates, all ages, UK, 2017-19.
• 2) National life tables – life expectancy in England and Wales: 2021 to 2023 – Office for National Statistics

Notes:

• Data for England covers 2015-19 and data for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland covers 2017-19.
• The data provides life expectancies estimated at postcode district level – this is estimated as an estimate of the life expectancies in the relevant Middle layer Super Output Areas/local authorities which lie within a postcode district.
• Values are an average of male and female life expectancy values in each area.

We have taken an average of the 10 postcode districts with the highest life expectancy (90), and the average of the 10 postcode districts with the lowest life expectancy (74). This provides us with our leading headline figure of the 16-year gap in life expectancy across the UK.