It's always a shame when an article, that actually might otherwise a great deal of point to it, quotes wildly inaccurate statistics to back it up. (In this case: "Before covid, the situation in Wakefield for example was bad. The average years of healthy life for a man was 58 years. In Bromsgrove – the area represented by the current health secretary – it was 65.")
The area of the UK with the lowest life expectancy for males is Blackpool, where the relevant age is 74.4 years. That's significantly lower than the average for England as a whole, which 79.8 years, but it shows just how meaningless the stats quoted in the article are.
//Why are most poor people fat? Surely they would be skinny and malnourished.//
I've often wondered that, dave. It seems most poor people can afford to pay someone else to cook their dinner and make them a cup of coffee, and even pay someone to deliver it to their door.
People get fat eating too many carbs, fat and sugar. All these things are cheaper than fresh veg and lean protein.
People in the South of England must have a hard time mentally having to pay huge mortgages on tiny houses and both parents having to work to make ends meet. I think Northerners have a much better lifestyle,we just keep quiet about it.
I think your being a bit harsh on fat, tattooed, blue haired, over made up, thick, trollops. Just because they are addicted to drugs, alcohol, benefits, and knee trembles. After all they are breeding our next generation.
CHRIS, you have misunderstood the quote, "The average years of healthy life for a man was 58 years. In Bromsgrove – the area represented by the current health secretary – it was 65."
The figures relate to healthy life (whatever that definition might be) not life expectancy.
Never venture past the Watford gap - havnt got a passport!
Seriously though it is difficult to draw comparisons. Yes, it appreas there is more wealth in the South but it tends to be distorted by London figures. House prices are much more in the South, but that gets most people nowhere, in fact it is worse as Stamp duty and deposits are higher.
And at the bottom of the scale remember the Social Security payments etc dont really take much account of the difference in prices.
Apart from the weather I do think many are better off up North.