ONS figures show the differences in healthy lifespans across the UK


  • ONS has compiled estimates for healthy lifespans of children born 2010-12
  • Show sharp variations across the UK, with some likely to live 15 years less
  • Dramatic differences within London, but other areas also differ widely   

James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline

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Children can live up to 15 years longer depending on where they live and grow up, with huge variations between neighbourhoods just miles apart.

London has some of the most dramatic variations, with estimates for deprived boroughs like Tower Hamlets far below those of wealthy parts just miles away, such as Kingston-upon-Thames.

But there are also huge gulfs elsewhere – including Manchester, where children can expect to live a decade less in good health than in nearby Cheshire.

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The ONS has produced estimates for the number of years babies born between 2010-12 can expect to live in ‘very good or good’ health. The figures are broken down by local area

The figures were compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using data from the most recent census covering 2010-12.

Boys born in that period can expect to live 78.8 years, while girls on average will have an estimated lifespan of 82.6 years.

The ONS said that if they experience similar health observed in the survey, males should be in ‘very good or good health’ for 63.2 years – some 80.3 per cent of their lives.

The equivalent figure for females was 64.6 years, or 78.2 per cent.

But the headline figures mask stark differences between parts of the country. 

The lowest number of years individuals could expect to live in ‘very good or good’ health stood at 55.8 years for males in Manchester.

By contrast in nearby Cheshire East the figure was 66.3. And the highest in the country was 69.9 in Wokingham.

The ONS figures show the sharp variations in the number of years women can expect to live with ‘very good or good’ health

In Tower Hamlets girls born during the period were looking at 55.9 years of good health. 

But in Richmond upon Thames babies could expect 70.9 years.

If they surviving to the age of 65, men and women across the UK could expect to live a further 18.3 years and 20.8 years respectively, of which around half would be in ‘very good or good’ health.  

HOW THE BEST AND WORST NEIGHBOURHOODS MEASURE UP 

BEST PLACE FOR WOMEN 

Richmond-upon-Thames 

Population 193,000, average house price: £780,000

WORST PLACE FOR WOMEN 

Tower Hamlets

Population 284,000, average house price £514,000 

BEST PLACE FOR MEN

Wokingham 

Population 159,000, average house price £454,000

WORST PLACE FOR MEN

Manchester

Population 514,000, average house price £166,000

But a man making it to 65 in Blaenau Gwent has less to look forward to, with just 5.5 years of good health forecast. 

Women in Merthyr Tydfil could anticipate just 5.9 years.

ONS statistician Jodie Withers said: ‘There is large variation in how many years people can expect to live in good health across the UK. 

‘Differences in education, employment opportunities, lifestyle behaviours, social mobility and the wider local environment all have a major impact with males and females in some parts of the UK living 14.1 years and 15.0 years longer in “Very good or good” health than others.’

The figures, based on the most recent census, show the stark differences in prospects between different parts of the UK. This chart shows the highest and lowest healthy lifespans for babies born during the period

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