A recent report by the Northern Health Science Alliance reveals stark inequalities faced by older individuals in the North of England compared to their Southern counterparts, highlighting issues such as poverty, health challenges, and inadequate housing.

Titled 'Aging in the North', the report indicates that older adults in the North are more likely to suffer from economic inactivity, frailty, and social isolation, which collectively could lead to a staggering annual GDP loss of £10.9 billion.

From 2012 to 2022, poverty rates among those aged 65 and older in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber increased by 10%, with 68% of older adults in the North experiencing deprivation, compared to 63% in the South.

Pensioner couples in the North East report an average income that is 14% lower than the national average and 25% lower than their counterparts in the South East.

Life expectancy for older adults in the North is two years shorter than in the South, with higher incidences of cognitive frailty and loneliness reported.

Moreover, older individuals in the North East and North West are 1.61 and 1.33 times more likely, respectively, to be frail compared to those in the South East, leading to significant healthcare costs for the NHS, particularly from falls and hip fractures, which amount to £314.5 million in the North.

The report estimates that approximately 1.47 million homes in the North are deemed non-decent, contributing to an annual cost of £588 million for the NHS due to associated health problems.

To address these pressing issues, key recommendations include increasing investment in adult social care, developing a national housing strategy for older people, and tackling food insecurity and loneliness among older adults.

Importantly, the report emphasizes that these inequalities are reversible if policymakers take decisive action to address the underlying causes affecting older people in the North.

The report ultimately calls for government intervention through targeted investments and policies that focus on health, housing, employment, and education to mitigate these disparities.