Public Health Liverpool

State of Health in the City: Liverpool 2040

State of Health in the City: Liverpool 2040 was published in January 2024. The report used the latest data and evidence to show the current state of health in Liverpool.

The report made it clear that without change, health in Liverpool will get worse by 2040 and the gap between the healthiest and least healthy communities will grow. It highlighted the need for urgent action to prevent ill health and to tackle the root causes, such as poverty, poor housing, unemployment and unhealthy environments.

It also set out key asks of national government to enable local action at the scale and pace of change that is required.

The report was discussed at a Special Council meeting on Wednesday 17th January 2024 and received full cross-party support. The Council agreed that the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB), chaired by Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, would oversee progress.

Read the report

  • State of Health in the City: Liverpool 2040

    Download this document: State of Health in the City: Liverpool 2040 (PDF: 1.6 MB)

    This 80-page document, written by Professor Matt Ashton, looks at the health of Liverpool's inhabitants since 1984, and outlines the work the council, its partners and the government need to do to tackle the challenges it is projecting by 2040.

    First published: 17/01/2024

Key messages 

  • Liverpool is facing a serious health and care challenge. Without urgent action, many more people will live with long-term illness by 2040.
  • Poor health is strongly linked to poverty, housing, employment and cuts to public services.
  • People living in the most deprived areas have much worse health, and this gap is forecast to worsen by 2040.
  • Preventing illness and making health fairer must be at the centre of all decisions.
  • Action needs to be based on evidence and regular review.
  • National government support is essential alongside local action.

Report into action

Work to deliver the report is focused on four key areas:

  1. Making Liverpool Health 2040 a catalyst for change.    
  2. Make the case for National Government support. Health in all policies, fair funding  and greater devolved powers   . 
  3. Making Liverpool a fairer and healthier city. 
  4. Using evidence-based and data-driven approaches to make better decisions and evaluate the impact.

Progress so far

In April 2026, the council's Public Health team published a Year 2 update, showing strong progress across the city.

Key achievements

  • Liverpool becoming a Marmot City, recognising the city's commitment to tackling health inequalities.
  • Smoking rates falling to the national average for the first time.
  • More than £1 million invested in youth work.
  • A refreshed Good Food Plan to support healthier food choices.
  • Continued rollout of the Neighbourhood Health Model, including a mobile breast screening unit to help find cancer earlier.
  •  Improvements in housing and homelessness, with less use of temporary accommodation and more homes being upgraded and reused.
  • RIVER, the new all-age addictions service, now in place, with early signs of reduced alcohol-related hospital admissions.
  • Adult Social Care rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission.
  • A Women’s Health Taskforce publishing its first report, with a citywide Women’s Health Conference in May 2026.
  • Ongoing national leadership on tobacco control, child poverty and unhealthy environments.

Using evidence to make better decisions

Liverpool is improving how it uses evidence through Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRC) Liverpool. Working with local universities and communities, this programme is helping the council design and test policies.

The challenge remains

Despite progress, Liverpool still faces deep-rooted inequality:

  • Healthy life expectancy is around six years lower than the national average.
  • There is a 15 year gap in life expectancy between neighbourhoods.
  • A baby girl born in Kensington, Liverpool, can expect 13 fewer years of good health than one born in Kensington, London.
  • Reductions in smoking, alcohol harm and self-harm show early signs that change is possible, but sustained effort is needed.

"We know meaningful, long-term change takes time and there are no quick fixes when it comes to tackling deep-rooted health inequalities. However, by maintaining momentum, working in partnerships across the system, and holding ourselves to account, we can and will continue to build a healthier and fairer city for everyone. This is about creating lasting change that will benefit future generations, not just short-term improvements."

Councillor Harry Doyle
Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Culture, Liverpool City Council