Tackling health inequalities – people, places, possibilities (in-person)

Health inequalities in the UK aren’t just persistent; they are also widening. The evidence is stark and consistent: more people are living with long-term illness, working-age health is declining, improvements in life expectancy are stalling, and the health gap between the richest and poorest communities remains stubbornly wide. Some groups of people continue to experience significantly poorer health and experiences of health and care services than others, differences that are avoidable, unfair, and systematic.

However, there are reasons for hope. The announcement in the Autumn 2025 budget of the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap and investment in neighbourhood health centres are bold steps towards improving the public’s health. Despite a lack of broader national guidance on tackling health inequalities specifically, there remains great energy, momentum and drive at system, regional and local levels where there is a huge amount of impactful work happening to create good health for all.

It is important that the successes and challenges that come with working in this area are shared to show what is possible when ideas are put into action. At this conference we will bring together partners across the health and care system, VCSE sector and local government in the UK and beyond to share best practice of what is being done to turn the tide on health inequalities. We will also explore the possibilities that exist to go even further to put people first in a meaningful way to make a real difference and improve health outcomes. We will explore:

• work being done across the social determinants of health, including housing, to have a positive effect on children’s health outcomes
• the role that newly formed neighbourhoods can play in addressing health inequalities
• what we can learn from work being done across the UK including Scotland to improve health outcomes at all levels
• what it truly means to put people first and work with communities in a meaningful way
• the realities of leading effectively to tackle health inequalities
• how devolution will impact the health inequalities agenda

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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