Health and wealth divides in UK worsening despite ‘levelling up’ drive, report finds

Exclusive: economic inactivity due to sickness at highest level since records began, with north, Wales and Northern Ireland disproportionately affected

People in the UK are getting sicker and poorer", with a gaping health and wealth divide between regions that is only getting worse, research has found.

Economic inactivity because of sickness is at its highest level since records began, with 2.5 million working-age adults inactive due to their health, states the Institute for Public Policy Research report, which is due out later this week.