“We already know that poorer people face far greater challenges than their wealthier peers and are likely to die younger, become sicker earlier and fall out of work due to ill-health.
“And now we can see - as the country becomes almost completely consumed by Brexit – that the shameful inequality that already exists in our society is quietly getting worse. This is despite a government commitment to reduce the health gap between the richest and the poorest.
“These figures show that in the poorest areas of England, women can expect to live 52 years in good health before they experience illness, compared with 70.4 years for women in the richest areas. This is a difference of nearly 20 years. Everyone should have the right to look forward to a long, healthy and happy life, not one dictated by their background, gender or financial circumstances. We urgently need a radical rethink about how as a society we approach health and support people to age well.”
