Healthy life expectancy declines in most of Great Britain as disparities widen

Healthy life expectancy has declined in nearly 90% of council areas in England and Wales. Male babies born between 2021 and 2023 can expect 61.5 years of good health, while females can expect 61.9 years. This is a decrease from pre-pandemic figures. The gap in healthy life expectancy between wealthy and deprived areas has widened. For example, a baby born in Blackpool can expect 51.7 years of good health, compared to 69.7 years in Wokingham. The disparity was previously 16 years for men and 17 years for women. Cheshire East saw the largest drop in male healthy life expectancy, falling over five years to 61.9 years. For females, Peterborough experienced a six-year decline, now at 55.2 years. Overall, health inequalities are increasing across the country.