title: Austerity and old-age mortality in England: a longitudinal cross-local area analysis, 2007-2013.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There has been significant concern that austerity measures have negatively impacted health in the UK. We examined whether budgetary reductions in Pension Credit and social care have been associated with recent rises in mortality rates among pensioners aged 85 years and over.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-local authority longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and twenty-four lower tier local authorities in England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Annual percentage changes in mortality rates among pensioners aged 85 years or over.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2007 and 2013, each 1% decline in Pension Credit spending (support for low income pensioners) per beneficiary was associated with an increase in 0.68% in old-age mortality (95% CI: 0.41 to 0.95). Each reduction in the number of beneficiaries per 1000 pensioners was associated with an increase in 0.20% (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.24). Each 1% decline in social care spending was associated with a significant rise in old-age mortality (0.08%, 95% CI: 0.0006-0.12) but not after adjusting for Pension Credit spending. Similar patterns were seen in both men and women. Weaker associations observed for those aged 75 to 84 years, and none among those 65 to 74 years. Categories of service expenditure not expected to affect old-age mortality, such as transportation, showed no association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rising mortality rates among pensioners aged 85 years and over were linked to reductions in spending on income support for poor pensioners and social care. Findings suggest austerity measures in England have affected vulnerable old-age adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Oxford University, Manor Road Building, Manor Road, Oxford OX1 3UQ, UK rachel.loopstra@sociology.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Loopstra
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.affiliation: MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Srinivasa Vittal
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Katikireddi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor-Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Oxford University, Manor Road Building, Manor Road, Oxford OX1 3UQ, UK Faculty of Public Health & Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stuckler
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057172:Economic Recession; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008136:Longevity; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011203:Poverty
keywords: Old-age mortality; austerity; social security