Austerity, welfare reform and the E nglish health divide

In this commentary we argue that spatial inequalities in health will increase in England as a result of the entwined policies of austerity and welfare reform. We describe the health divide and outline the actual and potential effects of austerity and welfare reform on it by drawing on current data and previous international research. Drawing on our involvement in the 2014 Due North: Independent Inquiry into Health Equity North, we suggest alternative policies that could reduce the divide, or at the least, stop it from widening further. We conclude by outlining ways in which geographers can engage with this prescient issue.