COVID-19 impact inquiry Exploring the pandemic's implications for health and health inequalities

The Health Foundation has launched a time-limited UK-wide inquiry to consider:
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how people’s experience of the pandemic was influenced by their health and existing inequalities
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the likely impact of actions taken in response to the pandemic on people’s health and health inequalities – now and in the future.
A healthy population is one of any nation’s most important assets. Good health supports positive social and economic outcomes – both for the individual and society as a whole.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were already signs that the health of the people in the UK was falling behind comparable countries:
- Our report on Mortality and life expectancy trends in the UK showed that the UK has a lower life expectancy and slower improvements in life expectancy than comparable high-income countries.
- The Marmot Review 10 Years On, published in February 2020, highlighted that not enough progress has been made over the past decade to address unjust and avoidable differences in people’s health and wellbeing.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the wider governmental and societal response have further exposed the inequalities in our society.
Blog
What might long COVID mean for the nation’s health?
The COVID-19 impact inquiry team summarise emerging evidence on the effects of long COVID for...
What will the inquiry do?
The inquiry is gathering evidence from a wide range of sources to consider how experiences of the pandemic were influenced by people’s existing health conditions and inequalities in health. This will highlight implications for the government decision making and the investment needed to ensure everyone can enjoy the same opportunity for good health and wellbeing.
We aim to share the findings from the inquiry in summer 2021, as part of our work on the wider determinants of health and health inequalities.
The inquiry is being carried out by an in-house secretariat at the Health Foundation, guided and informed by an expert advisory panel.
Blog
Gender divide: a post-COVID recovery must address pandemic inequalities
Mehrunisha Suleman outlines the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women, and what must be done...
Sign up for updates
If you’d like us to stay in touch about our COVID-19 impact inquiry, please sign up to receive updates. If you have any questions about the inquiry, please contact COVID-19impactinquiry@health.org.uk.
Build back fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review
Report
Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review
A new report by the Institute of Health Equity, commissioned by the Health Foundation as part of its...
Event
Webinar: Build back fairer: Inequalities and COVID-19 in England
To launch Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review, the Health Foundation and the UCL Institute...
Latest from the inquiry
Blog
1 year on since lockdown began – our lives have changed but what lessons have we learned?
Jo Bibby takes stock of the past year of the pandemic, reflecting on how our recovery must draw on...
Blog
Emerging evidence on health inequalities and COVID-19: March 2021
The COVID-19 impact inquiry team look at emerging evidence of the pandemic's impact on women and key...
Blog
Wales must not be an afterthought when fighting COVID-19
Proportionally, Wales has recorded some of the UK's highest coronavirus death rates. Auriol Miller,...
External link
RCP Player: Let's talk about...the COVID-19 impact inquiry
Dame Clare Moriarty and Dr Mehrunisha Suleman introduce the COVID-19 impact inquiry and share some...
Blog
The forgotten crisis: exploring the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on disabled people
What has the COVID-19 pandemic meant for disabled people, and how can we build back fairer? Liz...
Infographic
What does the pandemic mean for health and health inequalities?
This infographic highlights areas of focus for the COVID-19 impact inquiry and some of the questions...
Press release
Young people must be given the support that they need to avoid second health crisis later in life
Health Foundation response to additional government funding for summer schools.
Blog
Mental health and wellbeing for people receiving persistently lower pay during the pandemic
Persistent decreases in pay can affect people’s long-term mental health and wellbeing, writes Alex...
Blog
Paying for the pandemic: the economic consequences of COVID-19
Matt Whittaker, expert advisor for our COVID-19 impact inquiry, looks at emerging evidence of the...
Video
Watch: Experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic
Three people from across the UK share their experiences of the pandemic
Newsletter feature
What can COVID-19 teach us about how to rebuild a more equal society?
Fozia Irfan, an expert advisor for our COVID-19 impact inquiry, on how the pandemic is both exposing...
Infographic
The same pandemic, unequal impacts
This infographic explores how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting some groups in the UK more than...
Blog
‘Levelling up’ just got much harder
A look at the Health Foundation's COVID-19 impact inquiry: a UK-wide inquiry exploring the...
Discover
COVID-19 impact inquiry team
The inquiry is being carried out by an in-house secretariat at the Health Foundation, with guidance...
Event
Launch event: COVID-19 impact inquiry
The Health Foundation has launched the COVID-19 impact inquiry, a UK-wide inquiry exploring the...
Further reading
Collection
Blog series: COVID-19, health and health inequalities
We round up emerging evidence on the unequal impact of the pandemic and the wider governmental and...
Long read
Will COVID-19 be a watershed moment for health inequalities?
About 15 mins to read
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the wider governmental and societal response, have brought...
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