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People in rich areas of Northants live much longer, report finds

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Men and women are living, on average, eight or nine years longer in more affluent areas compared with poorer areas, the report said

Men living in richer areas of a county could live almost 15 years longer than those in poorer areas just 20 miles away, according to a new report.

The director of public health for West Northamptonshire described the figures in her annual report as "shocking".

The average difference in lifespan between the most affluent and deprived areas was eight or nine years.

Sally Burns said: "In a lot of these areas, we're not going to get quick fixes."

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The average lifespan for men in Castle ward, Northampton, is 72

Her annual report for 2023 set out the extent of health inequalities and the current wellbeing needs of the public in the West Northamptonshire area.

Its figures showed that a person's lifespan could vary greatly, depending on where they lived in the county, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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The average man in Brackley lives to the age of 87, the report said

In the most extreme case, the life expectancy of men in Brackley was 87, but the predicted expectancy dropped to just 72 in the Castle ward in Northampton town centre.

The disparity was also evident in women, with an average age of 87 in wealthier areas, compared with 80 in poorer places.

Sally Burns with medium-length light-coloured hair, wearing a blue jacket
Sally Burns, the director of public health for West Northamptonshire, said the figures were "stark"

Ms Burns, the director of public health for West Northamptonshire, told a meeting of the council's cabinet: "The difference we see in life expectancy, I agree, is shocking, and when you dig beneath the detail, it's down to a number of things - housing, employment, opportunities, environment - so the trick is understanding that."

She said "everything that we all do can affect these health inequalities".

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