Poorest kids doomed to die a decade early

Postcode lottery on life chances a 'national scandal'

- By Lucy Johnston SOCIAL AFFAIRS EDITOR

GRIM FUTURE: Children in poor areas may die earlier. Below left, Prof Mark Mon-Williams

CHILDREN growing up in Britain's poorest neighbourhoods will die a decade earlier than those just a few miles away, shocking data reveals.

The study, which shows a child's postcode also determines how long they will have good health, has been described as a "national scandal" by experts who have called for government action.

Professor Mark Mon-Williams, a psychology expert at Leeds University, who helps lead the Born in Bradford research programme — one of the world's most ambitious health studies — said: "By virtue of your postcode, you are on track to live 10 years less and with 20 years less good health.