The everyday things that shape how we live and feel
Being healthy isn’t only about healthcare or not being ill. Our health is shaped by the everyday conditions of our lives – the things that make it easier or harder to feel well, stay well, and live well.
These are known as the building blocks of health or health determinants.
They include:
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Housing
Feeling safe, warm and secure at home
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Work and income
Having enough money and good working conditions
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Education and learning
Skills, confidence and opportunities
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Green spaces and nature
Places to relax, connect and be active
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Community spaces and belonging
Places where people feel welcome
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Early child development
Creating the foundations for future health and wellbeing
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A fair, inclusive environment
Being treated with dignity and respect
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Social connections
Support from friends, family and the community around us
These building blocks form the foundation for a healthy life from childhood through older age.
Why the building blocks matter in Ealing
Ealing is a diverse, vibrant borough with huge strengths. But not everyone has the same access to safe housing, stable work, green space, or community support.
These differences can lead to unfair gaps in health, where some communities face more illness, stress, and shorter life expectancy.
Local people across Ealing have told us how important these everyday building blocks are. People want:
- homes that are safe and good quality
- accessible green and open spaces
- opportunities to learn and work locally
- services that are inclusive and easy to navigate
- neighbourhoods where discrimination is challenged and everyone feels they belong
Understanding these realities helps the council and partners plan services that work better for people.
Below you can see some of the inequalities our communities face.
Affluent residents live up to 7 years longer than the disadvantaged.
Deprivation is concentrated in Northolt, Greenford, Southall and Acton.
In Southall, 1 in 3 residents have no educational qualifications.
1 in 10 households have limited or uncertain access to food.
The proportion of children living in poverty rose by 4% between 2015 and 2023.
How this links to our work
Evidence & Learning for Health (Ealing’s HDRC) helps the council understand more about how these building blocks affect people’s health across different communities and neighbourhoods.
Our role isn’t to deliver services—we help the council and partners learn from evidence and community experience so they can strengthen these building blocks over time.
If you want to know more about who we are and how we do this, visit our About Us page.
