Life expectancy at birth has plummeted for babies born in the most deprived areas of England by nearly 17 months for boys, to 72.6 years, and by over 12 months for girls, to 77.7 years - according to new data from the ONS comparing babies born in 2017-19 with 2020-22.
A baby boy born in one of the 10 per cent most deprived places in England is now expected to live for a decade less than a baby boy born in one of the 10 per cent least deprived places. There's now an 8.5 year life expectancy gap for baby girls. This inequality in life expectancy gap has been widening for over 15 years, and is at a new high.
There is also now a 20-year difference in 'healthy life expectancy' between people born in the most and least deprived places in England (just over 50 years healthy living vs just over 70 years healthy living respectively).
Healthy life expectancy in Wales is worse than England, especially for baby girls born in the most deprived places in Wales, who are expected to be healthy for just 48 years out of 78 years of life. That's just 60 per cent of their life living in good health, compared to 68 years (81 per cent) for baby girls born in the least deprived places.
People are dying too young, and living their lives in poor health, because of where they live, or who they are. It’s not okay that people living in poverty, people in poor housing, people in low paid jobs or facing discrimination have shorter lives.
People’s Health Trust believes in a world without health inequalities. Since 2011 we've partnered with a vibrant network of over 3,500 community organisations across Great Britain, supporting them with funding at a grassroots level to find vital and timely solutions to tackle the causes of poor health.
Find out more about our work here.