Newcastle plans to tackle inequality. It seeks to reduce the 12-year lifespan gap between rich and poor residents.
Experts spoke at a conference in Newcastle. They want better homes and good jobs. They also stressed access to green spaces. These things can improve living standards greatly. The city is working with health experts to tackle poverty and health decline.
COVID made these issues even worse. One expert said UK life expectancy stalled. It even went down in Newcastle recently. He thinks austerity caused many deaths across the country.
He urged that we must help Newcastle’s poor children. Almost forty percent of them live in poverty now. A city official said inequality is unjust. She noted babies have different life expectancies.
Disadvantaged folks live sicker, shorter lives. She wants to create healthy living conditions and believes that we must stop only treating people after they get sick. An expert lamented funding cuts from the last fifteen years.
He still hopes local leaders can make changes. One city saw less youth unemployment due to these changes. Also, fewer people lived in deprivation there. The expert said health shows how well society works.
Health gaps show social issues that really matter. Things are not going well in Newcastle. Sadly, the UK is also struggling on average these days. Wealthy Newcastle folks have the same chances as others.
But poverty makes health much worse up north. The goal is better lives from birth until death. Previously, one government ignored the expert’s work. He believes the new government is open to his ideas.
He wants them to fix the North-South divide. The UK is poor without London’s money. Newcastle residents spend less time in good health before they reach retirement. A council leader hopes the conference starts change.
She desires less inequality between neighborhoods too. The council leader wants everyone to collaborate now. She believes it is better for all people involved. Helping those at the bottom helps everyone in the end.
The government should help towns fighting inequality. It can save money on public services later. If people are healthy, they need less help later on.