British women now rank 41st out of 142 countries in the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, slipping from 30th just two years ago.
This four‑year decline reinforces the recent growing concerns about emotional wellbeing, chronic pain and gaps in preventative care for women.
Figures from the survey of over 78,000 women show domestic screening rates for high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer have worsened. Maternity care quality has dipped too. The UK lags behind nations such as Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Kosovo .
Meanwhile, the latest Office for National Statistics data has shown the difference between the richest and poorest areas of England and Wales. Women born in 2020–22 in the most deprived areas are likely to spend just 65% of their lives in good health, down from around 81% in wealthier regions, and the lowest figure since records began in 2013–15. In Wales, the situation is even more acute, where healthy life expectancy in disadvantaged areas sinks to just 61.5%.
Experts say the decline is tied to the ongoing cost‑of‑living crisis, stretched public services and benefit caps disproportionately affecting women, who also carry larger shares of unpaid care, suffer more from mental health issues and face higher rates of domestic violence
Across the UK, health disparities have deepened. The poorest ten per cent of women face serious illness up to a decade earlier than their wealthier peers, a trend mirroring long‑standing inequities first highlighted in the Marmot Review. Chronic diseases, from heart disease and diabetes to mental ill‑health, are increasingly prevalent in poorer communities, with primary and acute care costs tied to poverty amounting to around £50 billion per year, comparable to defence spending.
This health crisis is also reshaping the political landscape. Regions with the poorest health outcomes, such as Northern England, Lincolnshire, east Kent, Hull and Barnsley, have become strongholds for populist parties like Reform UK. Chronic illness and frustration with local services are driving voters away from traditional politics.
As women report rising levels of stress, sadness and anger (markedly above EU averages), the need for action grows. Tim Simpson of Hologic emphasises that “no one can ignore” this fourth consecutive drop in the ranking. Janet Lindsay of charity Wellbeing of Women points to long‑term underfunding behind the numbers.
The Department of Health says its Ten‑Year Health Plan will put equality at its heart, pledging to reform the NHS to better serve women. Plans include new integrated “neighbourhood health centres” that combine medical, mental health, housing and employment support. Yet health leaders warn that without tackling wider causes (poverty, poor housing, benefit cuts), the NHS alone cannot close the gap.
The government has earmarked £1.5 billion for disadvantaged communities and pledged increased funding to poor areas. But critics question whether it’s enough. They argue that true progress requires sustained cross‑government action from affordable housing and better social care to mental‑health investment and early‑years support.
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