Life expectancy falls due to Covid impact

Life expectancy in local areas of England, Northern Ireland and Wales fell between 2020 and 2022 compared to 2001 to 2003, according to the latest ONS data out today.

ONS says the trend continues a recent picture of “stalling” life expectancy improvements – been seen since 2015.

Among constituent countries of the UK, life expectancy between 2020 and 2022 was highest in England (78.9 years for males, 82.8 years for females) and lowest in Wales (77.9 years for males, 81.8 years for females).

Life expectancy has risen steadily in most parts of the UK since the Second World War but the improvement has halted in recent years.

The latest figures have been affected by deaths during the Covid-19 outbreak. Government figures suggest more than 230,000 people in the UK have died as a consequence of contracting Covid-19.

ONS said: “Life expectancy improvements were stalling since 2015; however, the rise in mortality rates during the pandemic has caused widespread falls in life expectancy.”

The research also found wide disparities in life expectancy between different UK regions. Life expectancy between the richest and poorest English regions can vary by a decade or more.

None of the 10 local areas with the highest life expectancy were in the North of England, Wales or Northern Ireland. In contrast, of the 10 local areas with the lowest life expectancy, none were in the South of England.

Key highlights from the data:

• In 2020 to 2022 male life expectancy was highest in Hart (83.7 years) and lowest in Blackpool (73.4 years), a gap of more than a decade. Female life expectancy was highest in Kensington and Chelsea (86.3 years) and lowest in Blaenau Gwent (78.9 years), a gap of 7.5 years.
• For males, the English region with highest life expectancy was the South East (80.1 years) and the lowest was the North East (77.2 years). For females, the region with the highest life expectancy was the South West (83.9 years) and the lowest was the North East (81.2 years).  
• Over the decade (between 2011-2013 and 2020-2022), for males, the local area in England with the largest decrease in life expectancy was Boston (minus 2.1 years), the largest increase over the decade was Oxford (1.4 years).
• In Wales, the largest decrease occurred in Wrexham (minus 1.2 years), the largest increase was in Monmouthshire (0.5 years). In Northern Ireland only one local government district had a decrease (Mid Ulster, minus 0.1 years), and the largest increase was in Lisburn and Castlereagh (1.1 years).
• Over the decade (between 2011-2013 and 2020-2022), for females, the largest fall in life expectancy in England occurred in Bolsover (minus 1.8 years), and the largest increase was in Ryedale (2.3 years).
• In Northern Ireland, the largest fall was in Belfast (minus 0.5 years) and the largest increase was in Antrim and Newtownabbey (0.5 years).
• In Wales, the largest fall was in Merthyr Tydfil (minus 1.3 years) and the largest increase was in Bridgend (0.5 years).

Julie Stanborough, deputy director of health and life events at the ONS, said: “Today’s results show a decline in life expectancy during 2020 to 2022, compared with the previous period. This decrease has been predominantly driven by the Coronavirus pandemic, which led to increased mortality in 2020 and 2021.

“Although life expectancy has fallen across all regions and constituent countries, there is a clear geographical divide when it comes to areas with the best and worst outcomes.”

ONS pointed out that average lifespan was dictated by mortality figures across a person’s lifetime. It said if mortality rates improved, lifespan figures would likely improve.

Separate figures are released for Scotland.