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Making health fairer

As part of our public health responsibilities we take a leading role in tackling health inequalities in Derbyshire.


Inequalities in health are avoidable between groups of people within a certain area.

There are many things which contribute to health inequalities including education, housing and employment − but the biggest one is poverty.

There are big differences in life expectancy between residents in different parts of our county − in some areas a gap of up to 13 years. We're committed to using our public health resources to reduce this gap.

We're committed to improving health and reducing inequalities for all our residents, regardless of where they live.

Food banks

There are 22 food banks across Derbyshire which provide food parcels for people in crisis. They're run by faith groups and voluntary organisations and supported largely by volunteers.

Find out more about how they work, if you are eligible to use one or how to donate to a food bank.

Credit unions

Credit Unions offer a community based alternative to high street banks and lenders. They offer savings accounts and also offer low interest loans.

There are 5 credit unions in Derbyshire which encourage people to save regularly and that in turns allows people to borrow small sums of money from them in a safe and affordable way.

Many credit unions also offer online services just like banks. You can learn more about your local Credit Unions on our savings and credit page.

Citizens Advice Bureau sessions

We've helped fund the provision of Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) sessions in 98 GP surgeries across the county.

We've also funded the delivery of CAB sessions across various community venues supporting the community wellness approach. Find out more by visiting the Derbyshire Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Befriending services

People who are socially excluded can suffer from worse health than other people. This may include older people, people with disabilities and people in poverty. We offer a befriending service to give advice, support and a friendly face.

Find out about the work we're doing to tackle other factors that impact on your health such as employment, housing and education.