In 2024, Kent commissioned the UCL IHE to support in becoming the first Marmot Coastal Region. This programme takes a proactive approach to tackling health inequalities by embedding multi-level system change. This encompasses decision-making at the top level, aligning systems for work and skills at the middle level, and operationalising change via ‘Marmot Accelerator’ programmes on the ground.

Achieving meaningful improvements in outcomes on health and its determinants, such as employment and education, requires a multifaceted approach. This will include the use of data and evidence to inform prioritisation, the development of appropriate interventions, long-term investment and a shared commitment to collaborations for equity across stakeholders in Kent.

This report summarises the literature on the relationship between work, income, and health, and applies this to Kent using local data. Analysis on a broader range of indicators across the social determinants of health can be found in the accompanying updated data-led report.