People with Lower Incomes and Less Education, Less Likely to Live Long Healthy Lives according to Report

People with Lower Incomes and Less Education, Less Likely to Live Long Healthy Lives according to Report

On 25 September 2025, EuroHealthNet published the Report “Social inequalities in health in the EU”. 

The report notes that Europeans are living longer than ever before, with an average life expectancy of 81 years. But averages hide stark inequalities. Those with lower incomes or less education are less likely to live a long, healthy life. 

A child born in Spain today can expect to live to 81.4—over eight years longer than a child born in Bulgaria, where life expectancy is just 75.8 years. Even within countries, people in lower socioeconomic groups are twice as likely to report poor health compared with those in higher socioeconomic groups. The higher someone’s position in society, the more likely they are to live a long and healthy life, a pattern known as the social gradient in health.

It also underlines that health improvements over time vary across socioeconomic groups, with disparities evident by gender, race or ethnicity and disability. These differences highlight that health inequalities are both avoidable and unjust. To reduce these inequalities across the EU, it is key to find ways to improve health for everyone, but even more so for those facing adverse socioeconomic situations.

More information about the Report “Social inequalities in health in the EU” available here.

Summary of the Report “Social inequalities in health in the EU” available here.

Technical Report “Social inequalities in health in the EU” available here.