Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

‘Alarming’ drop in life expectancy in England even before Covid pandemic hit, new university study shows

‘Alarming’ drop in life expectancy in England even before Covid pandemic hit, new university study shows

Life expectancy across the UK was falling even before the Covid pandemic hit, with researchers finding an “alarming” drop over the past decade, according to a study published by Imperial College London (ICL).

Having examined around 8.6 million death records in England from 2002-2019, ICL found that life expectancy decreased in one of five communities for women and one in nine areas for men over the past decade.

The analysis, published on Wednesday, comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released a report earlier in 2021 estimating that life expectancy for men had fallen for the first time in 40 years due to the Covid pandemic.

However, ICL researchers found it had actually started to decline years before the pandemic impacted communities.

“There has always been an impression in the UK that everyone's health is improving, even if not at the same pace,” said Professor Majid Ezzati, who led the study, but “data show that longevity has been getting worse for years in large parts of England.”

"For such declines to be seen in 'normal times' before the pandemic is alarming."


Beyond the national picture across England, the study outlined the stark difference between life expectancy in different parts of the country. At the most extreme point, there was a 20-year gap between women living in the London borough of Camden and Leeds, West Yorkshire, while there was a 27-year gap between Kensington and Chelsea and Blackpool, Lancashire.

The analysis, released in the peer reviewed Lancet journal, blamed the differences in life expectancy on poverty, employment issues, welfare support, and healthcare, urging the government to boost investments in areas that have the lowest life expectancies.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government recently pledged to tackle inequalities between different regions, laying out his so-called ‘levelling-up’ agenda, which will seek to providing funding to towns, cities, and rural areas, giving local authorities greater control over how government investment is spent.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×