Nathan Bray

This chapter explores key cross-cutting themes that can influence well-being and well-becoming across the life-course, including: good work; our surroundings; money and resources; housing; education and skills; the food we eat; transport; and family, friends, and communities. These cross-cutting themes were chosen because they have been identified as protective factors and factors that can help individuals and society to maintain good health and well-being. The chapter examines some of the costs to society of health-harming and often addictive behaviours. Some examples of how economic evaluation has approached these areas to provide evidence of relative cost-effectiveness of interventions within and outside of the health sector are discussed. The chapter concludes with some curiosity questions for the reader to consider.

A third of children in the UK are growing up and living in poverty. Post COVID-19 pandemic, this figure is rising due to a cost of living crisis. Investment that focuses on the critical window of the first few years of life is likely to provide the most efficient use of public resources, yielding returns over and above other forms of financial investment and investment at other points of the life-course. This chapter explores the economic case for investment in the early years and childhood, helping to ensure that children are as healthy as possible and well nourished, receive high-quality early-learning opportunities, and are nurtured and protected from harm. This chapter focuses on topics such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), maternal mental health, growing up in poverty, housing, preschool experience, early years vaccinations, dental health, and free school meals. This chapter concludes with curiosity questions for the reader to consider.