Health Inequalities

• Sir Michael Marmot's report on health inequalities is published today.

• The report says that reducing health inequalities would save around an estimated two million extra years of life each year; and have economic benefits in reducing losses in productivity, lost taxes, higher welfare payments and extra NHS costs.

• As Andy Burnham said:
  
  "Everyone should have an equal chance at good health...Sir Michael has previously acknowledged our tremendous achievements - that the health of everyone has significantly improved over the last 10 years, and infant mortality is at an all-time low.
  
  "The report shows us there is still much to do - so we are looking to all corners of the community to work together and address the wider causes of poor health and reduce health inequalities. This report gives us a new and challenging agenda - based on the best available evidence - for the next 10 years and beyond."

• A key focus in cutting health inequalities is early years - but the Tories would take money out of the Sure Start budget and take it back to a time when it benefited fewer than 20 per cent of poorer children.