Areas identified as ‘left behind’ have among the worst health outcomes in England, with growing disparities between them and the rest of the country. People living in these areas are 46% more likely to have died from COVID-19 than those in the rest of England, and 7% more likely to have died of the virus than those in other deprived areas.

Key findings and recommendations:

• Tackling the health inequalities facing local authorities with ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods and bringing them up to England’s average could add an extra £29.8bn to the country’s economy each year.

• The Government’s levelling up strategy should include a strand on reducing health inequalities at the neighbourhood and community level and be accompanied by an increase in NHS funding for more deprived local areas.