SHOCKING inequalities between women living in the north of England and the south have been exposed in a new report.
Women in north-west England, north-east England, Yorkshire and Humber can expect to suffer worse health, earlier death, more working hours, poorer pay and more unpaid caring responsibilities than their southern counterparts.
They are also more likely to suffer domestic violence, time in prison and substance abuse.
The report, Woman of the North: Inequality, health and work, has been backed by two female northern elected mayors, Tracy Brabin (West Yorkshire) and Kim McGuinness (North East) and calls on the central government to do more to tackle regional inequality.
The report was written by Health Equity North which researches public health problems and health inequalities.
Executive director Hannah Davies said: “Our report provides damning evidence of how women in the north are being failed across the whole span of their lives.
“Over the last 10 years, women in the north have been falling behind their counterparts in the rest of country, both in terms of the wider determinants of health and, consequently, inequalities in their health.
“There is a lot of work that needs to be done to turn the tide on the years of damage detailed in this report.”
Ms Brabin said the report should be a “wake up call to everyone in a position of power”.
And Ms McGuinness said: “From leaving school to the boardroom, at home and at work, women and girls across the north bear the brunt of failings in our economy, society and public services.
“The lack of equality and opportunity that remains ingrained in modern Britain is unacceptable.”
Northern, Yorkshire and the Humber regional TUC secretary Liz Blackshaw said: “Women and girls across the north contribute masses to the national economy as evidenced in this report.
“To have such low life expectancy demonstrably shows the amount of work required to improve the situation.”
Proposed actions include helping women to claim their rightful benefits, improving childcare provision and ending the two-child benefit cap.
The report also found that infant mortality is higher and abortions are more common.
