“A UK wealth tax for better health”

An editorial written by two Health Equity North (HEN) Academic Co-Directors has claimed how a UK ‘wealth tax’ imposed on the wealthiest 0.04% of the population could help to close the inequalities gap.

Professor Kate Pickett of the University of York and Professor David Taylor-Robinson of the University of Liverpool have stated how a tax levy proposed by the UK Wealth Tax Commission, Oxfam, and others could see significant public health benefits, as the UK’s health and social care services are increasingly strained by rising demands and widening health inequalities—including in life expectancy, infant mortality, mental health outcomes, childhood obesity, early childhood development, rates of children entering care, educational attainment and vaccination coverage.

The article, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) this week, sets out how an estimated £10bn-£60bn that could be raised annually could also address NHS shortfalls, support social care, or fund a universal basic income for population health benefits.

Read the full article here.