Northumberland

In response to recognition of widening inequalities in health in Northumberland, the University College London (UCL) Institute of Health Equity (IHE) were commissioned by Northumberland County Council to contribute to the development of ambitions and action to tackle these inequalities in Northumberland.

As a result of data analyses and discussions with partners across Northumberland, three priority areas were agreed, covering housing, the early years, and employment and good quality work.

Housing Report

This report outlines work that IHE have conducted with the Northumberland County Partnership to reduce inequalities in health through improvements to housing. Specifically the report sets out recommendations to improve the supply of: affordable housing; decent, safe and sustainable homes; and homes for vulnerable and older adults.  Throughout this work we have had regard to the particular needs of rural and coastal communities. The report also sets out the scale of work needed in each of these areas to result in a reduction in inequalities in healthy life expectancy.

Employment Report

Scenarios set out in the report estimate the impact of policies to increase wages, the number of people in full time work, and the employment rate, on their ability to reduce inequalities in healthy life expectancy. The results show that the most impactful policy would move people from part time to full time work at the real living wage.

In reality not everyone will be able to work full time, and so the reduction in inequalities in healthy life expectancy is unlikely to be quite as high.  However, the scenarios do illustrate that improving the quality and the number of hours of work is crucial.  Increasing the employment rate in more deprived areas will also help to reduce inequalities.

The recommendations in this report are grouped into four themes:

• Improving incentives to work
• Supporting small employers to hire apprentices and those with health conditions
• Increasing the pipeline of staff for the future
• Increasing the quality of work and employment through a strengthened social value system