Health Inequalities Dashboard: statistical commentary, May 2025
Published 22 May 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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Background
The Health Inequalities Dashboard presents evidence of health inequalities in England, English regions and local authorities.
Measures of inequality are provided for key indicators to monitor progress on reducing inequalities within England. It presents measures of inequality for 19 indicators, mostly drawn from the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF).
New in this update
This update includes new data for 12 indicators. These are detailed on the homepage of the dashboard. A breakdown by sex is also provided for the first time for indicators of premature mortality.
Summary of selected updated indicators
Inequality in life expectancy
Indicators of inequality in life expectancy at birth and at age 65 were updated in the PHOF on 7 May 2025. A review of updated trends for these indicators was provided in the commentary for the Public Health Outcomes Framework: May 2025 data update for May 2025.
Between 2011 to 2013 and 2021 to 2023, inequality in male life expectancy at birth between those living in the most and least deprived areas in England increased significantly from 9.1 years to 10.5 years. In the same period, inequality in female life expectancy at birth increased significantly from 6.9 years to 8.3 years.
For both sexes, there was a gradual widening of inequality from 2011 to 2013 onwards, but it increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite small reductions in inequality in the latest data for 2021 to 2023, inequality in life expectancy remains higher than before the pandemic for both sexes.
Under age 75 mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), all persons
The premature mortality rate from CVD for all persons reduced between 2001 and 2019 but increased during the pandemic between 2019 and 2022. The rate increased in all deprivation deciles, and the absolute level of inequality also increased significantly between 2019 and 2022. Relative inequality stayed stable across this period and in 2022 the rate for the most deprived decile was 4.0 times that in the least deprived decile.
Use of absolute and relative measures of inequality are explained below.
Under age 75 mortality from cancer, all persons
Inequality in premature mortality from cancer is less than that for CVD. In 2022, the premature mortality rate from cancer all persons for the most deprived decile was 2.1 times higher than that in the least deprived. This level of relative inequality has stayed broadly stable since 2011.
Unlike CVD, the rate continued to fall during the pandemic and the absolute level of inequality remained similar between 2019 and 2022.
Infant mortality
The infant mortality rate in England increased for the first time since 2013 to 2015 in the 2021 to 2023 period. It was 3.9 deaths per 1,000 live births for 8 consecutive time periods, but increased to 4.1 per 1,000 in 2021 to 2023, though this change was not statistically significant.
Recent trends in infant mortality have not been consistent across deprivation deciles, however. While the overall rate increased by 5% between 2018 to 2020 and 2021 to 2023, rates in the most deprived 2 deciles increased by around 10% and rates in the least deprived 2 deciles fell. This resulted in a significant increase in the absolute level of inequality in infant mortality between these time periods.
Absolute and relative inequality
Levels of inequality can be monitored using either absolute or relative measures, and for many of the indicators in the dashboard, data is presented for both.
Absolute inequality is calculated by subtracting a lower value from a higher value, for example mortality rate for most deprived minus mortality rate for least deprived.
Relative inequality is calculating by dividing a higher value by a lower value, for example mortality rate for most deprived divided by mortality rate for least deprived.
Methodology
Details of the methods used to produce indicators are provided in the definitions tab above charts in the data section of the Health Inequalities Dashboard.
Further information
For queries about this publication email pha-ohid@dhsc.gov.uk.