Alarm over hospital lung admissions for children in England’s poorest postcodes

Children living in the poorest areas across England are 40% more likely to be admitted to hospital for respiratory infections, an analysis of NHS England data shows, with experts raising the alarm on the impact of air pollution on young people’s health.

The analysis, based on data obtained via freedom of information requests by the charity Impact on Urban Health, revealed 1,941 out of every 100,000 children living in the most deprived fifth of England were admitted to hospital for respiratory illnesses in 2024/25.

The high admission rate contrasted starkly with figures on England’s least deprived area, where 1,380 out of every 100,000 children were admitted to hospital for respiratory illnesses, including acute upper and lower respiratory infections, influenza and pneumonia, that same year.

Although the data did not provide an exact cause for these hospital admissions, air pollution was identified as a significant risk factor, with children living in deprived areas exposed to the most extreme levels of toxins and pollutants.

“Children growing up in deprived neighbourhoods are often exposed to dirtier air,” said Dr Gergo Baranyi, a senior research fellow at University College London with a focus on air pollution. “But air pollution is only part of the story. Poor-quality housing, overcrowding, damp and mould, outdated heating systems, indoor air quality and exposure to smoking, are also more common in deprived areas. These conditions can all harm children’s respiratory health.

He added that the “stark” inequalities in admission rates should not come as a surprise. “They are shaped by individual circumstances and environmental exposures where children grow up. Respiratory infections in childhood can have long-lasting consequences on health and wellbeing."

Read full story

Source: The Guardian, 23 July 2026