New figures reveal the 10 areas of England and Wales where healthy life expectancy is under 50 (Image: Getty)
Residents of Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Hyde Park in London can expect more years in good health than people in any other part of England and Wales, according to a newly released map. The latest Office for National Statistics data shows healthy life expectancy in the area stands at 78.3 years for men and 81.2 years for women — the highest recorded for any small local area.
But the same figures expose a striking health divide, with ten areas where healthy life expectancy falls below the age of 50.
The lowest healthy life expectancy in the country is found in the North East. In Central Stockton & Portrack, a neighbourhood in Stockton-on-Tees near Middlesbrough, men can expect to live just 47.7 years in good general health. That is 30.6 fewer healthy years than men living in Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Hyde Park.
Among women, the lowest figure is recorded in Grimsby East Marsh & Port in North East Lincolnshire, where healthy life expectancy is 49.0 years. Compared with women in Knightsbridge, that represents a gap of 32.2 years.
Across England as a whole, median healthy life expectancy at birth was 65.3 years for males and 66.8 years for females. In Wales, the equivalent figures were lower, at 62.5 years for males and 63.8 years for females.
You can check healthy life expectancy in your own local area using our interactive map:
There are also large differences between different neighbourhoods in the same council area. For example, women’s healthy life expectancy in Bradford ranges from 76.1 years in Menston & Burley Moor to just 50.2 years in Barkerend West & Little Germany. That’s a gap of 25.9 years, which is the largest within any council area in England and Wales.
For men in Wirral, healthy life expectancy varies from 73.2 years in the Caldy & Newton neighbourhood to just 47.8 years in Birkenhead Central, a gap of 25.1 years.
Neighbouring areas can also see large changes in healthy life expectancy.
Heaton Moor in Stockport has a healthy life expectancy of 70.7 years for males and 71.2 years for females. That’s comfortably above the national average of 65.3 years for males and 66.8 years for females.
Cross over Burnage Lane into the Burnage South neighbourhood of Manchester, however, and things are very different.
Those in Knightsbridge live a longer and healithier life than anyone in England and Wales (Image: Getty)
Healthy life expectancy drops to just 57.8 years for males and 57.2 years for females, which are among the lowest in the country.
London also has several examples of neighbouring areas having huge life expectancy gaps. The Regent’s Park neighbourhood in Westminster has healthy life expectancy figures of 73.2 for males and 74.9 for females. Cross over Lisson Grove, however, and you’re into the Church Street area, where males have a healthy life expectancy of just 57.5 years and females 58.0 years.
Across the river, we have Southfields North in Wandsworth with its healthy life expectancies of 74.2 years for males and 73.7 years for females. That neighbours West Hill North, where the averages are 59.4 years for males and 61.3 for females.
Meanwhile, Crouch End West in Haringey, with averages of 71.6 years for males and 73.0 years for females, borders Highcroft & Holly Park in Islington, with averages of just 58.2 years for males and 61.0 years for females.
In Cardiff, those living in the Cyncoed South & Roath Park neighbourhood have healthy life expectancies of 71.6 years for males and 73.1 years for females. That drops to just 57.8 years for males and 60.6 years for females in Llanedeyrn.
A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found that poverty is the biggest driver in the gaps in healthy life expectancy. It also found that a female living in the least deprived areas of the country will spend 82% of their life in good health.
That drops to just 65% in the most deprived areas, equating to 20 fewer years of life in good health.
For males the gap is 19 years, with men in the least deprived areas spending 85% of their lives in good health compared to 70% in the most deprived areas.
Scot Hunter, analyst at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, says: “It isn’t right that where you live impacts how long you can expect to live in good health. It’s striking but not surprising that people who spend more of their life in poor health are more likely to live in places that lost key industries: like manufacturing and mining towns as well as seaside towns and inner-city neighbourhoods.
“We know that as well as struggling economically, many of these areas have lost the community groups, places and activities that brought people together. Compared to similar places that still have their community centres, youth clubs and sports halls, people in these doubly disadvantaged areas are more likely to be living in poor health.
“The story isn’t just about the economies of these places, but whether there’s someone or somewhere in your neighbourhood that helps you feel connected, confident and in control. We need to invest in this vital infrastructure if we want people in every place to live healthier, more resilient lives.”
The 10 UK areas where life expectancy is below 50 years
1. Central Stockton & Portrack, Stockton-on-Tees: 47.7 years
2. Birkenhead Central, Wirral: 47.8 years
3. Central Blackpool, Blackpool: 47.9 years
4. Grimsby East Marsh & Port, North East Lincolnshire: 48 years
5. Arboretum, Forest & Trent University, Nottingham: 48.9 years
6. Blyth Cowpen, Northumberland: 49.3 years
7. South Promenade & Seasiders Way, Blackpool: 49.6 years
8. Tranmere, Wirral: 49.7 years
9. North Shore, Blackpool: 49.8 years
10. North East Centre, Blackpool: 49.8 years
