Key points from article :
Cost of living crisis to cause thousands of premature deaths in the UK.
Poorest households will be hardest hit, with premature deaths rising four times faster than in the wealthiest.
Study by Public Health Scotland and the University of Glasgow used scenario modelling to estimate the impact of inflation on death rates.
Even with government support, premature deaths in the most deprived areas are predicted to rise at a rate four times faster than in the wealthiest.
Overall life expectancy also falls in each scenario modelled, with larger reductions predicted in the most deprived areas.
Researchers conclude that public policy responses are not sufficient to protect health and prevent widening inequalities.
The findings were published in the journal BMJ Public Health.
