Cost of England’s four biggest killer diseases could hit £86bn by 2050

The four diseases currently account for 59% of all deaths in England. Photograph: PA Images/Alamy

The cost of England’s four biggest killer diseases could rise to £86bn a year by 2050, prompting calls for a crackdown on alcohol, junk food and smoking.

The ageing population means the annual cost of cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke combined will go from the £51.9bn recorded in 2018 to £85.6bn in 2050 – a rise of 61%.