Each year, an overall theme is chosen for the public health annual report and this year there was only one option – the cost of living pressures, its impact on health, and the role of public health in helping local areas to support people struggling with financial pressures.

As in previous years, this report includes case examples from eight councils across England covering both rural and urban environments, and with different levels and types of deprivation, affluence, health inequalities and population health needs. The report identifies key themes and thoughts about the future. It is based on interviews with DsPH, council chief executives, council leaders, lead members for health and wellbeing, ADPH and the LGA. Because this is a small sample, themes are indicative of the direction of travel and cannot be seen as representing how public health is involved in the cost of living pressures throughout England. However, as in previous years, there is a significant consistency in information which suggests that it presents a reasonable reflection of developments in most local councils up to December 2022.