We live in an unequal city…
- Nearly all (92%) of children in Bradway get 5 A -C GCSEs, compared to a quarter of children in Brightside.
- People living in Crookesmoor die fourteen years younger than those living in Crosspool;
- In Flower there are around 24 teenage pregnancies per 1000 , less than 5 in Fullwood.
- Rates of mental health problems are three times higher in Netherthorpe than in Netheredge.
- In Stubbin and Brushes seventeen babies will die for every thousand born, compared to nine in Shiregreen
The Spirit Level, written by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, explains how health and happiness are not linked to absolute wealth in economically developed countries. What does matter is the gap between rich and poor. The wider the gap, the more people think income defines your social position in life. The lower our social position, the more we are likely to suffer stress and depression. Because we always have someone around us who has more, there is always a level of stress. The level of income inequality in Sheffield is far higher than it would be in a more equal society, for example Sweden. A more equal Sheffield would place less stress upon the whole population and make it easier for people in different social positions to get along, and that would improve the health and everyday life of everyone.
