Blackpool overtakes Glasgow to become area in Britain with lowest male life expectancy at birth

Blackpool has replaced Glasgow as the local area in Britain with the lowest male life expectancy at birth – the first time the Scottish city has not recorded the lowest estimate since current data began.

A baby boy born in Blackpool in Lancashire between 2021 and 2023 is currently likely to live for an average of 73.1 years, while one born in Glasgow is likely to live for 73.6 years.

Glasgow had previously recorded the lowest male life expectancy in every set of estimates since the time series started in 2001.

The figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a clear geographical divide.

The top ten highest local area male life expectancies are all in the south of England, while six of the lowest ten are in Scotland (Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire and East Ayrshire), three are in the north of England (Blackpool, Manchester and Hull) and one is in Wales (Merthyr Tydfil).

Hart in Hampshire has the highest estimated male life expectancy at birth for 2021-23 (83.4 years), followed by Uttlesford in Essex (83.0), Wokingham in Berkshire (82.5) and Richmond-upon-Thames in London (82.5).

However Glasgow remains the area in Britain with the lowest female life expectancy, with a baby girl born in 2021-23 currently likely to live for 78.3 years, followed by the Scottish local authorities of East Ayrshire (78.6) and North Lanarkshire (78.7) and then Blackpool (78.9).

The top ten data for females reveals a similar pattern to those for males, with the ten highest estimates all in southern England, while the ten lowest estimates are split between Scotland (Glasgow, East Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee, North Ayrshire and Inverclyde), northern England (Blackpool and Knowsley) and Wales (Blaenau Gwent).

The highest female life expectancy for baby girls born in 2021-23 is for Kensington & Chelsea in London (86.5 years), followed by Richmond-upon-Thames (86.3), Winchester in Hampshire (86.1) and Uttlesford (86.0).

The ONS figures also show that life expectancy at birth in 2021-23 remained lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic in a majority of areas for both males (288 of 348 local authorities, or 83%) and females (242 authorities, or 70%).

Greg Ceely, ONS head of population health monitoring, said: “Today’s data show a decline in life expectancy in most areas during 2021 to 2023, compared with the period of 2017 to 2019.

“This suggests we are yet to see a recovery from the decrease in life expectancy we saw during the pandemic.

“Our results continue to show a clear geographical divide.

“For example, in England, male life expectancy in the south east is three years higher than in the north east, and female life expectancy 2.7 years higher in London compared to the north east.

“Taking Great Britain as a whole, for the first time since this time series began, Blackpool, not Glasgow, has the lowest male life expectancy. Glasgow continues to have the lowest female life expectancy.”

The estimates of life expectancy for babies born in 2021-23 will reflect the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which contributed to a higher-than-average number of deaths in this period.

But while the pandemic disrupted the small improvements in life expectancy seen between 2010 and 2019, it does not necessarily mean a baby born between 2021 and 2023 will go on to live a shorter life than one born between 2017 and 2019.

“If mortality rates improve in the future, then period life expectancy will increase,” the ONS added.