Stalling and falling life expectancy, as new report says austerity to blame

PEOPLE in Leicestershire are seeing life expectancy stall and fall.

A report out recently shows life expectancy in England has stalled for the first time in a century – and is even falling among some groups, such as women in the most deprived areas.

Health Equity In England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On found health inequalities appeared to be widening, with the impact of austerity taking its toll.

Across Leicestershire, expectancy was 80.7 years life for men in 2016-2018, down from 80.8 in 2015-2017, and 84.2 for women, a rise from 83.9 in 2013-2015.

In Leicester, life expectancy for men has dropped from 77.3 in 2012-2014 to 77.2 in 20162018, while it was up from 81.6 for women in 2013-2015 to 81.9 in 2016-2018.

The biggest drop for men in Leicestershire was in Oadby and Wigston, where life expectancy at birth has fallen from 80.5 in 2012-2014 to 79.8 in 2016-2018.

Hinckley and Bosworth has seen the biggest drop for women, down from 84.4 in 2012-2014 to 83.9 in 2016-2018.

The new report found that for the first time in more than 100 years, life expectancy has failed to increase across the country.

For the poorest 10% of women it has actually declined.

It also confirms an increase in the north/south health gap, with the largest decreases seen in the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods in the North East of England, and the largest increases in the least deprived 10% of neighbourhoods in London.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot, director of the University College of London Institute of Health Equity, said: “This damage to the nation’s health need not have happened. It is shocking.

“The UK has been seen as a world leader in identifying and addressing health inequalities but something dramatic is happening. This report is concerned with England, but in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the damage to health and wellbeing is similarly unprecedented.

“Austerity has taken a significant toll on equity and health, and it is likely to continue to do so. If you ask me if that is the reason for the worsening health picture, I’d say it is highly likely that is responsible for the life expectancy flatlining, people’s health deteriorating and the widening of health inequalities.

“Poverty has a grip on our nation’s health. It limits the options families have available to live a healthy life. Government health policies that focus on individual behaviours are not effective. Something has gone badly wrong.”

The report also found 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 also increased (by 22% compared to Europe’s lowest of 10% in Norway, Iceland and the Netherlands).

It also highlighted the housing crisis and rise in homelessness, saying people have insufficient money to lead a healthy life and there are more ignored communities with poor conditions and little reason for hope.

Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock said: “The ultimate goal of the NHS is to increase healthy life expectancy, and this government is determined to narrow the gap by levelling up access to healthcare across England.

‘I thank Professor Sir Michael Marmot for his dedicated work to shine a light on this vital issue. His findings show just how important this agenda is, and renew my determination to level up health life expectancy across our country.

“After all, levelling up health is the most important levelling up of all.”