In England, in 2022 to 2024, there continued to be sizeable regional differences in life expectancy, according the latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
Among males, life expectancy at birth continued to be 3.0 years higher in the South East than in the North East. For females, it was 3.0 years higher in London compared with the North East. In all English regions, both male and female life expectancy were higher in 2022 to 2024, compared with 2019 to 2021
- Life expectancy at birth increased, for both males and females, in over three-quarters of the United Kingdom's local areas compared with 2019 to 2021; it was lower than in 2017 to 2019 (pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic) for males in around two-thirds of local areas, and for females in half of local areas.
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The 10 local areas with the highest life expectancy at birth, for both males and females, were all in the south of England; the 10 local areas with the lowest life expectancy were concentrated in the north of England and in Scotland.
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In England, the lowest life expectancy at birth across local areas was in Blackpool (73.7 years for males and 79.1 years for females); the highest life expectancy was in Hart for males (83.7 years) and in Kensington and Chelsea (87.1 years) for females.
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In Northern Ireland, the lowest life expectancy at birth across local areas was in Belfast (76.5 years for males and 80.5 years for females); the highest life expectancy was in Lisburn and Castlereagh for males (80.5 years) and in Fermanagh and Omagh for females (83.8 years).
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In Scotland, the lowest life expectancy at birth across local areas was in Glasgow City (74.3 years for males and 78.7 years for females); the highest life expectancy was in East Renfrewshire (81.5 years for males and 84.9 years for females).
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In Wales, the lowest life expectancy at birth across local areas was in Merthyr Tydfil for males (75.0 years) and in Blaenau Gwent for females (79.2 years); the highest life expectancy was in Vale of Glamorgan for males (80.3 years) and in Monmouthshire for females (84.6 years).
Commenting on the figures, Jason Strelitz, Assistant Director (Prevention) at the Health Foundation, said: "Life expectancy at birth has now recovered from the pandemic shock. The latest three-year estimates (2022–2024) show males at 79.1 years, just below the pre-pandemic peak of 79.3 years, and females at 83 years, back to their 2019 peak. However, progress has stalled compared with the steady gains seen before 2012. If that earlier trend had continued, men today would be living 3.6 years longer and women 2.6 years longer than current figures show.
"This stalling of life expectancy reflects a long-term failure to improve the nation’s health. Many national goals, including economic growth, depend on a healthy and thriving population. Comparable countries are doing much better than the UK, indicating significant room for improvement.
"Regional inequalities remain stark. Every local authority in the North East is below the Great Britain average, while the highest life expectancies are concentrated in the South of England. The Government has rightly committed to a shift from treatment to prevention. There have been significant steps forward, for example, with the child poverty strategy. But what is needed now is a clear set of targets to narrow the health gap backed by a cross-government strategy.
"Improving health must be at the heart of decision making, ensuring resilience and wellbeing are embedded across policies. Only with decisive action will we build good health and ensure that inequalities don’t become further entrenched."
