In Place of Fear, the title of Aneurin Bevan’s book published on the 10th anniversary of the Beveridge Report, is synonymous with all that the welfare state sought to achieve. In 2013, as the principles of Bevan and Beveridge are being killed off, the belief that inequalities should narrow is also under attack.
This paper shows that the 1930s were the last time the population of Britain was as polarised in terms of their health as we are today. Falling life expectancy is being recorded again. First highlighted in Glasgow, it could soon be more widespread as mortality counts during 2012 and 2013 have been rising. Other than when we were at war, the last time actual rises in mortality were reported in Britain was during the depression of the 1930s.