Shocking inequality in Birmingham: 11-year life expectancy gap exposed

Birmingham City Council has unveiled its ten-year vision for Brum, which sets out key “priorities, opportunities and challenges”.

The local authority says it wants Birmingham to tackle inequality; have a “thriving” economy and be a place where all communities can enjoy greater opportunities.

However, the council’s draft City Vision document also draws attention to several challenges to be confronted in the coming years.

It said the challenges were reflected in a “picture of inequality” – starkly seen in figures which reveal how long residents can expect to live for in certain areas.

The document puts life expectancy at birth for males in Sutton Four Oaks at 83.2 years.

In comparison, it’s around 11 years lower for males in the Castle Vale and Nechells area where life expectancy is 72.3 years.

Other findings in the document include:

• Life expectancy at birth for women in Sutton Roughley is 85.9 years while it’s 77.7 years for females in the Frankley Great Park area.
• The percentage achieving expected standard in reading, writing and maths in Key Stage 2 was 79.3 per cent in Sutton Wylde Green in 2023. It was just 43.7 per cent in inner-city Holyhead during the same year.
• The figure for unemployment claimants aged 16 to 64 in July this year was 23.6 per cent in Lozells. It was 1.6 per cent in Sutton Four Oaks.

The council states: “By 2035, we want Birmingham to be the best city in Europe for young people and a world-leading Anti-Racist City in recognition of its youth and diversity.

“Birmingham is a healthy, sustainable city that is proud of its diversity, culture and history, and unrelenting in tackling all forms of inequality.”

It added: “We must work differently and work together to tackle our biggest challenges, to rebuild our city’s capacity to drive change but also to seize our greatest opportunities.”

The council has identified five long-term missions to help deliver the vision – growth and prosperity, equity and inclusion, knowledge and opportunity, safety and sustainability and transport connectivity/digital connections.

It said the vision belonged to everyone in the city.

“Partners from the public, private, voluntary and community organisations, and all communities and citizens working together can achieve our shared aims,” it said.

“This vision is intended for use as a strategic planning framework for all the city partners.

“Birmingham City Council will use it to shape its own Corporate Plan and other strategies, other organisations operating in the city are encouraged to do the same.”

The vision will be discussed at a cabinet meeting next Tuesday, October 15.

It has been recommended that the draft is approved to enable it to be issued for a four-week period of engagement with strategic partners.

A final version of the City Vision would then be produced, with a view to adoption at full council in December.