An exciting new report from the IPPR has shown how the government can invest in healthier lives to save the NHS huge sums in the future. The new Labour government should grab this opportunity with both hands.
A group of senior NHS Leaders, charity CEOs, university professors and others have worked together for three years to figure out how the government can improve our health, support the NHS, and boost the economy. Yesterday, they published their costed plan for the government to increase UK life expectancy by 10 years.
The experts produced a list of simple, common-sense recommendations that could save the NHS £18bn by tackling poverty, obesity, stress, and inactivity. Nutritious free school meals for every primary school kid to feed their growing brains and avoid obesity. Tackling childhood poverty by abolishing the two-child benefit limit.
Using taxes on unhealthy food, tobacco, gambling and alcohol to make the healthy choices cheaper. Restoring the youth clubs, sports facilities and swimming pools that were lost under the Conservative government.
Our new Green MPs are calling on the government to listen to these simple ideas and be more ambitious. We need a clean break from the Conservatives’ fourteen years of saying “there is no money left” while everything gets worse.
We can tax wealth more fairly to fund this huge opportunity. Even if we have to borrow to invest, it will save public money in the long term and boost the economy – a no brainer. Most importantly, it offers us all healthier, happier, longer lives.
Come on Labour – this is the change people want – it’s common sense!