‘Shock absorbers of poverty’: women’s lives cut short by their unequal position in society

The overall picture for disabled women is even more bleak with the slashing of the social safety net in the past decade. Photograph: John Birdsall/Alamy

Women who speak out about gender inequality are often dismissed, especially in England. After all, women here are lucky – we are much better off than in other countries. Aren’t we?

The short answer is, only some of us. Devastating new data analysis from the Health Foundation has revealed – on the starkest measure – that for many women in England, that is far from being the case.