How do we tackle health inequalities in our communities?

What are health inequalities?

Health inequalities are unfair barriers or circumstances that stop people having the same support and resources they need to live healthily. They’re caused by many things including:

• the conditions people live and work in

• availability of health services in their area

• race

• literacy

• language

• misinformation

• cultural differences

These factors – sometimes called ‘social determinants of health’ – lead to unfair advantages and disadvantages for different people, which are difficult to overcome.

An example

For example, a person is more likely to enjoy good health when they have:

• a stable job

• private health insurance

• access to green space

• enough income to afford a varied diet

By contrast, someone will experience much greater challenges to good health if they’re facing:

• unemployment

• poverty

• overcrowded living conditions

What can we do about it?

Health inequalities reflect issues in the structure and systems of our society, which makes them difficult to challenge. But positive changes and influences are possible.

Projects or activities can positively affect people’s health by helping them with the root causes of health inequalities: poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination.

Here are some examples:

• free local advice clinics on housing, employment and welfare

• vocational training to help people improve their income

• community healthy‑food hubs that address the wider causes of food insecurity, like advice on income, debt, benefits and housing

• local, free, impartial advice on benefits, discrimination, employment, and housing

Tackling health inequalities through Reaching Communities

The Reaching Communities fund in England is particularly keen to support projects that are working to address health inequalities.

What we want to fund

We want to fund projects that:

• prevent health inequalities happening in the first place by addressing the root causes of poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination

• target people most affected by health inequalities

• reduce inequalities to improve health outcomes for these people

• add to, not replace or copy, existing statutory services and responsibilities to address health inequalities

Projects we’ve funded

Culturally sensitive community support

A 3-year project to empower a South Asian community in the North of England to take control of their health. This community has a higher risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and smoking-related illnesses. The project partnered with local GP services, pharmacies, and healthcare providers to:

• develop toolkits and materials tailored to community needs

• run health and wellbeing activities to address lifestyle-related sickness

An alliance of disabled voices

An alliance between 10 disability organisations in Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly to voice the needs of people with special educational needs, long-term health conditions, and disability. Through this alliance, disabled people are given more power and influence in local decision-making to overcoming social challenges that are most important to them.

Hope (and gardening) for good mental health

A community garden in Lincolnshire that provides support and optimism to those experiencing poor mental health. Funding provided twelve dedicated mental health support groups each week, mental health drop-in sessions, confidential one-to-one support, volunteering, and a community events programme. This included:

• support for neurodiverse people

• workshops to build confidence with tools

• women’s crafting group

• veteran’s brew and banter

• Men’s Shed

• music and dementia

• weekend social group

Apply for funding

If you have a project focused on tackling health inequalities, find out more about Reaching Communities or contact the team in your area for more information.