What does the pandemic mean for health and health inequalities? An overview of the COVID-19 impact inquiry

This infographic highlights areas of focus for the COVID-19 impact inquiry and some of the questions that it seeks to answer

A healthy population is one the nation’s most important assets. Good health supports positive social and economic outcomes, for individuals and for society. 

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 pandemic, and wider governmental and societal responses have exposed existing inequalities in our society, with implications for the nation's long-term health. 

The Health Foundation’s COVID-19 impact inquiry is exploring the pandemic’s implications for health and health inequalities across the UK with a focus on three time periods in relation to the pandemic - before, during and after. It will also shine a light on groups who have been disproportionately affected, hearing from a diverse set of voices across the UK to inform its robust analysis.

We aim to share the findings from the inquiry in summer 2021. Sign up to receive updates.