Healthy life expectancy continues to fall and significant gaps remain, says IPPR

19 Feb 2026

Press Story

Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) of new healthy life expectancy (HLE) statistics published today finds that:

  • The number of years people can expect to live in good health continues to fall – from 61.9 for women and 61.5 for men in 2021 to 2023 to 61.3 for women and 60.9 for men in 2022 to 2024 – and deep and persistent inequalities remain.  
  • There is significant variation across England – Kingston upon Hull, Blackpool and Hartlepool have some of the lowest rates of HLE, with Windsor and Maidenhead, Richmond upon Thames and Wokingham having the highest.
  • Areas with the lowest healthy life expectancy are overwhelmingly concentrated in the north of England and in the more deprived parts of the country, underlining how strongly health outcomes are shaped by economic conditions.
  • Overall, we estimate that boys born in the most deprived fifth of local authorities can expect to live 6.8 fewer years in good health than those in the least deprived fifth, rising to 7.4 years for girls.

Comparison of top five and bottom five local authorities for healthy life expectancy and 2025 Index of multiple deprivation (IMD)

Top 5 Upper Tier Local Authorities with the highest healthy life expectancy 

 

Females 

Males 

Area 

IMD Quintile 

HLE 

Score 

Area 

IMD Quintile 

HLE 

Score 

Richmond upon Thames 

1 

70.3 

Richmond upon Thames 

1 

69.3 

Wokingham 

1 

69.4 

Sutton 

1 

68.3 

Windsor and Maidenhead 

1 

68.9 

Wokingham 

1 

68 

Sutton 

1 

68.7 

Bromley 

1 

67.5 

Bromley 

1 

67.7 

Windsor and Maidenhead 

1 

67.3 

 

Bottom 5 Upper Tier Local Authorities with the lowest healthy life expectancy 

Females 

Males 

Area 

IMD Quintile 

HLE 

Score 

Area 

IMD Quintile 

HLE 

Score 

Hartlepool 

5 

51.2 

Blackpool 

5 

50.9 

Sandwell 

5 

51.3 

Hartlepool 

5 

52.1 

Blackpool 

5 

51.8 

Sandwell 

5 

52.7 

Kingston upon Hull, City of 

5 

53.3 

Kingston upon Hull, City of 

5 

53.1 

Stoke-on-Trent 

5 

53.5 

Rochdale 

5 

53.8 

 

Responding to the statistics, Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at IPPR, said:  

"Today's figures show that where you live determines how many years you spend in good health - and that gap isn't closing. Reforming the NHS and bringing care closer to communities can help reduce health inequalities, but most of what shapes our physical and mental health lies outside the health system. Without tackling those root causes, we won't see the gains we need."  

ENDS

Dr Jamie O’Halloran is available for interview  

CONTACT

Rosie Okumbe, digital and media officer, 07825 185421 r.okumbe@ippr.org  

NOTES TO EDITORS

  1. Data used is from the recent release of Healthy Life Expectancy Statistics from ONS (link here).  
  2. Population estimates by local area used are from here and assign quintiles of local authorities by their overall IMD 2025 rank found here.
  3. Due to boundary changes, Sheffield and Barnsley are excluded from calculations by level of deprivation.  
  4. IPPR is the UK’s most influential think tank, with alumni in Downing Street, the cabinet and parliament. We are the ideas factory behind many of the current government’s flagship policies, including changes to fiscal rules, the creation of a National Wealth Fund, GB Energy, devolution, and reforms to the NHS. IPPR is an independent charity which has seconded staff to government departments including DHSC and DESNZ to support ministers on crucial policies such as the 10-year health plan and the industrial strategy: www.ippr.org