After doubling over the last 180 years, life expectancy in the UK has flatlined recently.
This is particularly the case in post-industrial and former mining towns like Barnsley -; which has one of the lowest life expectancy levels in the country.
The decrease in life expectancy is largely down to a rise in mortality rates -; a drastic change which has occurred since 2011 and the onset of austerity, which has had a devastating impact on our NHS, public health and social care systems.
The Government should look very seriously at the evidence of a link between austerity and life expectancy, and this is something I raised in Parliament today.
You can watch my comments in Parliament here.