We hear plenty of talk about health inequalities, but what exactly are they and how much of a problem do they pose in today’s Britain? 

In this three-part blog series, written in partnership with health inequalities expert Dr Naheed Rana, we explore the above and ask what can be done to improve things. 

In this first blog, we get to grips with exactly what health inequalities are, analyse the situation in the UK, and explore the impact of Covid-19.  ‍

What are health inequalities? 

First, a quick explainer. Health inequalities are unjust and avoidable differences in people’s health across the population and between specific population groups. These differences are often systematic and can be influenced by a range of factors such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, age, geographic location, education, and access to healthcare services.  

Health inequalities can manifest in various ways, including differences in life expectancy, prevalence of disease, access to treatment, and overall quality of life. This is explored in the NHS Long Term Plan, which clearly states that the social and economic environment in which we are born, grow up, live, work, and age, as well as decisions we make for ourselves and our families collectively, have a bigger impact on our health than healthcare alone. 

Unsurprisingly then, addressing health inequalities is a key focus of public health efforts, aiming to reduce or eliminate these gaps and promote equity in health for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.  

How unequal is the UK when it comes to health? 

The stark impact of health inequalities in Britain can be shown in a number of damning statistics. For instance, analysis by the King’s Fund found that there are people who are living in the most deprived areas of the country who have a life expectancy a whole decade shorter than those living in the least deprived areas. Life expectancy is, for example, just 76 years in Blackpool compared to 86 years in Kensington, London. 

What’s more, people in more deprived areas have an increased likelihood of being overweight or obese compared to those in the least deprived areas. They are also more likely to smoke and more likely to be inactive. 

This highlights just how much of an issue health inequality remains. Even in 2024, healthcare provision in the UK remains something of a postcode lottery, dependent on which area you live in and your socio-economic status. 

There are additional factors contributing to health disparities among ethnically and culturally diverse groups. Such groups continue to face significant barriers in accessing services, and their experiences are often worse than those of the general population. For example, despite having a higher prevalence of mental health issues, black adults have the lowest rate of mental health treatment among all ethnic groups, at just 6%, compared to 13% in the white British population.

Moreover, infant mortality rates are higher among black populations specifically, with 6.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, more than double the rate for infants among white populations.  

Additionally, research from the King’s Fund shows that individuals with learning disabilities have a significantly lower median age at death, at just 63, compared to 82 for men and 86 for women in the general population. Meanwhile, the mean age at death for homeless individuals is much lower - 43 years for women and 45 years for men. ‍

The impact of Covid 

The Covid-19 pandemic shone a harsher light than ever on the reality of health inequalities across the country in all areas of health and social care, with those living in the most deprived areas and those from ethnic minority backgrounds disproportionately affected by Covid-19. This exacerbated existing health inequalities further.  

A study by the British Medical Association on the impact of Covid found that the way the pandemic affected people’s physical and mental health was not equal across society. "Some groups were more deeply affected – especially those who already had worse health outcomes before Covid-19," the report said.

"Infection and mortality rates have been much higher, for example, among older people, people from certain ethnic backgrounds, and disabled people – with the risk of death during the first wave three times as high for disabled people and Black African men compared to non-disabled people and White men, respectively," it added.

Such disparities are also evident in waiting lists for elective care, where patients living in more deprived areas often face longer delays for treatment. Those in lower-income communities are more likely to experience extended waiting times and this delay in receiving care can worsen existing health issues, leading to poorer health outcomes over time.

In part 2, we explore how health inequalities are nothing new and take a closer look at the attempts being made to tackle this long-term issue.

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