One in four “economically inactive” people live in the 50 local authority areas in England with the highest levels of poor health, research suggests.
The report, published by the Institute for Public Policy and Research (IPPR) Commission on Health and Prosperity, found a “double injustice”, where places with worse health also had lower levels of household income and higher rates of poverty.
The analysis of ONS statistics found that people living in England’s most deprived local authorities were almost 1.5 times more likely to report economic inactivity – meaning they were not working, studying or job seeking – and twice as likely to be in poor health.
The IPPR described such areas as “bad health black spots”, where there was a correlation between high levels of poor health and economic inactivity.
In Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham, almost one in 10 people were in bad health, while more than a third of the population were also economically inactive. In contrast, less than 4% of the population in Hart, west and south Oxfordshire, and Wokingham were in bad health, while less than a fifth were also economically inactive.
The places experiencing poor health and high levels of economic inactivity also have some of the lowest levels of healthy life expectancy in England, with Liverpool’s being 58 years, compared with Wokingham – where the healthy life expectancy is more than 70 years.
Efua Poku-Amanfo, the report’s lead author, said that the research made the case for government spending and action on health.
She said: “It’s not just the morally right thing to do, it’s the economically sensible thing to do. Bad health black spots, especially in the north-east and north-west of England and the south of Wales, are stifling national economic growth and holding back the wealth and health of the nation.”
An IPPR study from 2022 found that economic inactivity because of sickness was at its highest level since records began, with 2.5 million working-age adults inactive because of their health.
A solution to the “bad health black spots” proposed by the report were for the establishment of specific areas akin to clean air zones. These “health and prosperity improvement zones” would instead focus on improving key factors that affect physical and mental health.
Dr Luke Munford, senior lecturer in health economics at the University of Manchester and academic co-director of Health Equity North, said that the report “sheds more light on the interconnected nature of poverty, poor health, and limited economic prospects and prosperity. All three are deeply unfair, and all three cluster in certain parts of the country”.
Angela Rayner, Labour deputy leader and shadow secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, said: “The Conservatives’ promise to level up is a scam, and their 14 years of failure is damaging people’s health and opportunities.”
A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to increasing healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035 and narrowing the gap between local areas by 2030, including by investing up to £14.1bn to improve health services and help people live longer, healthier lives.
“Our major conditions strategy will look at the prevention and management of conditions responsible for over 60% of ill health, and our plans for a smoke-free generation will make a significant difference with people in more deprived areas almost twice as likely to die from smoking-related conditions.
“Our back to work plan will also help up to a further 1.1 million people to look for and stay in work that’s suited to their needs, including through integrated mental health support such as NHS talking therapies.”
