Deprivation divide in Leeds is cutting lives short | Inequality

Your report on the deprivation gap in British communities highlights the granularity of inequality in the country (“Posh-poor Divide”: the increase in areas of England where wealth and deprivation appear side by side, December 1). These issues are not only socio-economic: they have a huge impact on our health, our well-being and our lifespan.

Nowhere is this harsh truth clearer than in my constituency, Leeds Central and Headingley, which has the widest life expectancy gap in England, according to Health Equals data. Residents in the Hyde Park area are expected to live 14 years less than those in neighboring Far Headingley and Weetwood. A half-hour walk takes you from one neighborhood to another – which equates to more than a decade of lost life.

Child poverty and fuel poverty play a big role in the divide between these two parts of Leeds, but other factors will also come into play. Our health is shaped by the air we breathe, the homes we live in, the work we do, the money we have in our pockets – and these basics don’t suit everyone. The 10-year health plan set clear targets for the NHS, but health is about more than access to services. All aspects of policy can shape health and that is why a cross-governmental health inequalities strategy is essential. It must give priority to prevention, set ambitious objectives and make improving health a common objective for all components of government.

By taking action to make health equal, this Labor Government could prevent lives in constituencies like mine from being unnecessarily cut short.
Alex Sobel
MP for Leeds Central and Headingley and Parliamentary Champion for Health Equals