Residents of a major Midlands city face one of the shortest average lifespans in the United Kingdom, according to a stark new analysis of official figures.
The data reveals that people living in Nottingham are, on average, likely to die earlier than those in most other parts of the country, with factors such as health, diet, and lifestyle playing a significant role.
A Midlands City at the Bottom of the Table
Nottingham ranks as one of the worst-performing areas in the UK for life expectancy overall. For women, the situation is particularly dire, with the city recording the third lowest female life expectancy in England.
Women born in the East Midlands city are expected to live to an average age of 80.3 years. For men, the average life expectancy is even lower, at just 76 years.
In the latest analysis, Nottingham was the only area from the Midlands to feature in the bottom 20 nationwide. Its position is notably worse than that of Birmingham, a fact that may surprise many.
By comparison, women in Birmingham can expect to live to 82.2 years on average, while men have a life expectancy of 77.4 years.
The Stark UK-Wide Divide
The list of areas with the lowest life expectancy is overwhelmingly dominated by towns and cities in Scotland, parts of Wales, and the north of England. This pattern reinforces a clear and persistent North-South divide in health outcomes across the nation.
Scotland holds the unenviable position of having the lowest life expectancies of any UK region. Males born there have a life expectancy of 77.4 years from birth, while females can expect to live 81.3 years on average.
The extremes at both ends of the scale highlight profound geographical inequalities. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, boys born in Blackpool have the lowest life expectancy in the UK at just 73.9 years.
In stark contrast, boys born in Hart, Hampshire, can expect to live to 84.6 years – a staggering gap of 10.7 years.
Gender Disparities Across the Country
The pattern is similar for girls, though the gap is slightly narrower. The lowest female life expectancy is in Glasgow City, at 78.9 years. The highest is in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where girls can expect to live 87.7 years – a difference of 8.8 years.
The data shows a consistent regional clustering. All ten of the local areas with the highest life expectancy at birth for both males and females are in the south of England. Conversely, the ten areas with the lowest figures are concentrated in the north of England and in Scotland.
These statistics provide a sobering snapshot of the deep-rooted health inequalities that continue to affect different parts of the United Kingdom, with Nottingham emerging as a concerning focal point in the Midlands.
