It’s simple if money’s no object: just move to one of the richest areas in the country! But not so easy for the rest of us mortals.
People living in those affluent areas could expect to live over 84 years (men) while we tougher women could aim for our 86th birthday. And years of good health after pension age: until at least 68 all round.
On the other hand, if you were stuck in one of the most deprived areas of England or Wales, your prospects weren’t so good when life expectancy could be a decade or so shorter: about 73 years (men) and 78 (women). Worse still: with good health running out before pension age (about age 50 and 48 years respectively).
That’s a huge potential difference in life prospects, lost work years, earning opportunities, relying on benefits, impact on pension and more. And it’s not difficult to see that such deprivation becomes a vicious circle across generations. Of course, some will buck the trends but the rest need big changes to get the same life chances. Individuals can do their best but it probably needs Government (local and national), business and the voluntary sector all working together to make a real difference.
When politicians are championing “welfare cuts”, will they simply make the life prospects of those of us outside the wealthiest areas worse? Is there a risk that the differences between rich and poor just get wider?
Check out the Office for National Statistics report on 2022/24 data: https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/healthylifeexpectancybynationalareadeprivationenglandandwalesbetween2013to2015and2022to2024
And more articles: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/apr/27/people-in-uk-spend-fewer-years-in-good-health-than-a-decade-ago-study-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_OtherPeople in UK spend fewer years in good health than a decade ago, study finds | Health | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/apr/27/people-in-uk-spend-fewer-years-in-good-health-than-a-decade-ago-study-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other