Growing gap in healthy life expectancy between poorest and richest in England

Gap at birth is 19.3 years for girls and and 18.6 years for boys, and overall life expectancy for poorest has fallen

Girls born in the poorest areas of England will have almost 20 fewer years of good health compared with those in the wealthiest, according to figures that also reveal overall life expectancy in the most deprived areas has dropped significantly.

Female healthy life expectancy at birth in the most deprived areas was 19.3 years less than in the least deprived areas in 2018 to 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). For males it was 18.6 years less.