Government must prioritise heart health in the Budget

The Budget must prioritise the nation’s heart health to save lives over the next decade, we remind the Government today.

One in four people in the UK live with heart and circulatory diseases and these conditions cost the NHS in England at least £7.4 billion a year. Together, they form the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next 10 years. 

To move us closer to a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases, we believe the Chancellor must prioritise investment in three key areas when he delivers the financial statement on Wednesday, March 11.

Maintaining the UK’s position as a research superpower

The UK must maintain its existing links with international research partners as we develop a new relationship with the EU. This will reassure the research industry that UK-based scientists will be able to continue their lifesaving work as normal and maintain private investment in research and development. It will also help the Government meet its goal of investing at least 2.4% of GDP in research.

Increasing investment in the Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF) would also be welcome. The CRSF plays a vital role in the sustainability of our funded research by allowing universities to cover the indirect costs of research that charities cannot cover, such as heating and lighting. 

Creating healthier environments

Creating healthier environments for everyone to live in is vital for preventing ill-health. To make the healthy choice the easy choice, we are calling on the Government to extend the successful Soft Drinks Industry Levy (‘sugar tax’) to include sugar-sweetened dairy drinks. 

Air pollution must also be tackled. We estimate that, without bold and urgent action, heart and circulatory disease deaths attributable to fine particulate matter could exceed 160,000 over the next decade in the UK. That’s why we’re urging the Government to provide adequate funding to local authorities so they can properly discharge their air quality duties. This includes financial support to install, maintain and operate pollution monitors as part of their air quality responsibilities. 

Smoking is associated with around 20,000 UK deaths each year from heart and circulatory diseases. We are calling on the Government to seriously consider making tobacco manufacturers pay a levy or licence fee to fund measures to help smokers quit.

Investing in early detection and treatment

Detecting and treating the risk factors for heart and circulatory conditions can help prevent lives being worsened, shortened or lost. Providing sustainable investment in health and care services, workforce, education and training and capital will be vital in achieving this. Substantial investment in public health is also integral to identifying those at risk of these conditions in the community.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive, said:

“More than seven million people in the UK are living with heart and circulatory diseases - and millions more are at increased risk from high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. 

“This can’t go on. Aside from the emotional devastation, the financial burden of heart and circulatory diseases to the wider economy in England is estimated to be a staggering £15.8 billion each year – a cost we simply can’t ignore.

“This first Budget from the new Government is a chance to prioritise the nation’s heart health. Investing at least 2.4% of GDP in research and development and boosting the Charity Research Support Fund, which helps universities cover the indirect costs of research that charities cannot cover, will help to accelerate advances in research across the spectrum of heart and circulatory diseases.

“This must be done alongside creating healthier environments and improving the detection and treatment of risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases. By prioritising investment in these evidence-based ambitions, the Chancellor can take us one step further to helping realise our vision of a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases.” 

Read our Budget response