Researchers conclude that although many countries have seen slower increases in life expectancy since 2011, trends in England and Wales are among the worst.
According to a commentary, nearly a decade has passed since the landmark Marmot review, outlining the scale of inequalities in health across England, and calling for action on the social determinants of health, but progress has been poor. It notes that that the causes of falling life expectancy are heatedly debated and in the latest release from the Office for National Statistics, evidence from Public Health England points to the negative contribution of mortality in particular age groups (e.., 40–49, and ≥90 years) and causes of death (e.g. dementia and Alzheimer's disease). It suggests that the effect of austerity and associated budgets are also strong contenders, although it acknowledges that international parallels in the experiences of the UK possibly weaken arguments as to any significant causal role played by austerity. However for infant mortality, clear evidence exists that austerity is having an effect.