Women in Liverpool and Knowsley are expected to live seven years and eight months less than those in the country’s richest areas, according to a study.
An analysis published by the Health Foundation on April 17 showed that the life expectancy for women living in the poorest 10% areas of England is lower than that for any OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) country, except Mexico. The average life expectancy for women in these areas, such as Liverpool and Knowsley, is 78.7 years at birth in 2017 to 2019.
But for women living in the country’s richest areas, such as Chiltern, Hampshire, Hart and Rutland, life expectancy was 86.4 years – seven years and eight months longer.
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The OECD includes countries such as the UK, US, France and Germany. The UK as a whole ranked 25th out of 38 OECD countries for female life expectancy at birth, averaging at 83.1 years.
MPs and health experts said the findings were “shocking” and “devastating”.
Jo Bibby, director of health at the Health Foundation, said: “The stark reality is that the poorest can expect to live shorter and less healthy lives than their richer counterparts.”
She said the government needs to provide change or levelling up “will remain little more than a slogan”.
48.7% of neighbourhoods in Liverpool are classed as highly deprived, making it the second-poorest area in England, according to the MHCLG English Indices of Deprivation 2019. Knowsley was third, with 46.9% of its neighbourhoods classed as highly deprived.
All local authorities with the highest proportion of deprived neighbourhoods are in the north, with Middlesbrough, Hull and Manchester also making the list.
Hannah Davies, health inequalities lead at the Northern Health Science Alliance, told the Guardian : “Inequalities between the richest and poorest in England are morally and economically unacceptable and the devastating impact they’re having on the poorest women is shown here clearly.”
People took to Twitter to express outrage at the new analysis.
Twitter user @markhowell7 said: “Levelling up means women living as long in both #Toriesout”, while @VikkiLax1 called it an “appalling statistic”.
Journalist Chris Moss tweeted: “Levelling up is going amazingly” and @vickycleak said: “This will end badly without change.”
@Nigelj08223326 said the study means the country is “levelling down”.
Experts have warned that health inequalities are likely to worsen due to the rising cost of living.
