Life expectancy is lower by a decade in more deprived areas of the UK, say researchers

People living in the most deprived areas can expect to cut a decade off their life expectancy, Government data suggests.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published figures on Thursday detailing life expectancy for areas in the UK between 2001 to 2003 and 2017 to 2019.

Researchers also analysed trends in the average number of years people will live beyond their current age measured by “period life expectancy”.

They found during 2017 to 2019, the gap in life expectancy at birth between local areas of the UK was 11.3 years for males and 8.7 years for females.

Responding to the figures, Ben Humberstone, deputy director for the health and life events division at the ONS, said: "The rate of growth in life expectancy in London continues to surpass that occurring in other regions and the constituent countries of the UK.

“This has resulted in London now having the highest life expectancy for both males and females among regions in England.

"Four of the top five local areas with the highest male life expectancy in 2017 to 2019 were London boroughs, while three were for females.

“Since 2001 to 2003 traditional deprived parts of London such as Tower Hamlets, Newham and Hackney have seen strong gains in life expectancy over the time series.

“In fact, 17 of the top 20 local areas with the strongest growth in male life expectancy since 2001 to 2003 were London boroughs.

“This contrasts with Ceredigion where male life expectancy has only grown by 0.8 years since 2001 to 2003. These patterns add to the growing inequality observed across different areas of the UK over the past decade.

"The impact of Covid-19 on local area period life expectancy will be shown in the next release covering the period 2018 to 2020, which is planned for publication in Autumn 2021.

“These local area estimates for the latest period were produced using data up to the end of December 2019, and therefore precede the Covid-19 pandemic."

The ONS broke the data down by country and sex.

Overall, for men in the UK, the difference was 11.3 years between Westminster, with the highest life expectancy at birth, and Glasgow City, with the lowest.

Researchers found in England, there was a 10.5-year gap in male life expectancy at birth between the local area with the highest, Westminster (84.9 years), and the area with the lowest, Blackpool (74.4 years).

In Scotland, this gap was smaller at 6.9 years between East Dunbartonshire (80.5 years) and Glasgow City (73.6 years).

In Northern Ireland, the gap was 4.1 years between Lisburn and Castlereagh (80.1 years) and Belfast (76.1 years).

In Wales, the gap was 4.9 years between Monmouthshire (81.5 years) and Blaenau Gwent (76.5 years).

In contrast, for women, the local-area gap in life expectancy at birth in England was 7.7 years between Westminster (87.2 years) and Blackpool (79.5 years), meaning Blackpool was the lowest in England for males and females.

In Scotland, the gap stood at 5.5 years between East Renfrewshire (84.0 years) and Glasgow City (78.5 years).

In Northern Ireland, the gap was 2.5 years between Lisburn and Castlereagh (83.5 years) and Belfast (81.0 years).

In Wales, the gap was 4.0 years between Monmouthshire (84.4 years) and Blaenau Gwent (80.4 years).

Overall, for females in the UK, the difference was 8.7 years between Westminster and Glasgow City.

The ONS also found life expectancy at birth in the UK in 2017 to 2019 was 79.4 years for males and 83.1 years for females.

The relatively low increases in life expectancy at birth in 2017 to 2019 suggest a continuation of a trend observed since 2011, where annual life expectancy improvements have slowed down in comparison with the previous decade.

Edward Morgan of the Centre for Ageing and Demography at the ONS added: "The improvements in life expectancy at birth for males and females in the UK between 2016 to 2018 and 2017 to 2019, although lower than historical improvements prior to 2011, were the highest annual improvements for 5 years.

"The improvements in life expectancy at birth for males and females in the UK between 2016 to 2018 and 2017 to 2019, although lower than historical improvements prior to 2011, were the highest annual improvements for 5 years.

"The gap in annual improvements in life expectancy at birth between males and females has been narrowing since 2013 to 2015. In 2017 to 2019, female life expectancy improvements were seen to slightly exceed those for males for the first time since the start of the published data series in 1981 to 1983. However, it is too early to say whether this is a trend that will continue into the future.

"The impact of Covid-19 on period life expectancy will be shown in the national life table for 2018 to 2020 which will be published in Autumn 2021.

"The National life tables 2017 to 2019 were produced using data up to the end of December 2019, and therefore precede the Covid-19 pandemic."