Health · 23 July 2026
Poorest English children 40% more likely to have lung hospital admissions
New NHS England data from 2024/25 shows hospital admissions for respiratory infections are 40% higher among children in England's most deprived areas. The higher rate, which saw 1,941 out of every 100,000 children admitted, is largely due to air pollution and poor housing conditions. Experts are calling for an overhaul of the UK's Clean Air Act with legally binding targets to protect children's health.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs