England’s north-south life expectancy gap grows despite record longevity
Summary
Life expectancy in England has reached a record high, but the gap between the north and south of the country has grown. People in northern regions have seen little or no improvement in how long they live, compared to those in the south who have gained more years on average.Key Facts
- Life expectancy in England in 2025 is around 80 years for men and nearly 84 years for women.
- People in London live about three years longer than those in the north-east of England.
- The north of England, including regions like the north-west and Yorkshire, showed little or no life expectancy increase in the past decade.
- Northern regions have higher rates of diseases like heart disease and cancer, as well as suicides and deaths from alcohol and drug misuse.
- Life expectancy in deprived areas has fallen or stayed the same, while it improved slightly in less deprived areas.
- Healthy life expectancy (years lived in good health) has fallen in all regions, with people spending roughly 2.5 more years in poor health than before.
- The government aims to reduce health inequalities and increase healthy life expectancy but faces challenges due to wider social issues like housing, jobs, and pollution.
- Health experts say more focus on public health and prevention is needed rather than just treating sickness and reducing hospital waiting times.
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