A new report reveals that the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy between the North and South East England won’t close until 2080 on current trends.
The annual State of the North report by the Think Tank IPPR North calls for across-the-board action to address inequalities in health, wealth, power, and opportunity.
The gap in healthy life expectancy between the North and England overall will not close until 2056/57 while the gap between the North and the South East is set to endure until 2079/80.
The gap between the North and London is on course to keep growing on current trends.
The research also reveals that regional wealth inequality will continue to grow. It calls for a reform of capital gains tax to fund investment in the regions, as well as action to stave off political cynicism, investment to halt the collapse of local authority finances and renewed urgency in the creation of good jobs as part of a renewed regional agenda.
Researchers found that the northern electorate has become increasingly marginal meaning it will likely tip the scales in the general elections expected later this year.
Wealth inequality is on course to grow, with a gap reaching £228,800 per head between the South East and the North by the end of the decade, on current trends.
Local government spending cuts have undermined devolution and harmed outcomes, with up to £2,000 of spending power per person removed from local control across all tiers of local government by Westminster to date.
By 2030 London’s employment rate will be 66 per cent, while the North East’s will barely reach 56 per cent, on present trends, symbolising an entrenched ‘opportunity gap’ between North and South.
Report author and IPPR North research fellow, Marcus Johns, said:
“No one should be condemned to live a shorter, sicker, less fulfilling, or poorer life simply because of where they were born. Yet, that is what our regional inequalities offer today as gaps in healthy life expectancy and wealth endure over the generations, demanding urgent action if we are to change course.
“It’s hard to avoid the conclusion we are headed in the wrong direction on inequality in health, wealth, power, and opportunity while local government finances languish in chaos.
“This is a crucial year for elections, locally and nationally, and Westminster cannot afford to ignore the state of the North. We know there are ready-to-go policies that will help arrest and reverse these problems and grasping them could make this year the year that kickstarts a decade of regional renewal.
