NEW figures show a correlation between wealth and life expectancy in men across Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester.

Life expectancy for the most deprived men in Cheshire East is more than nine years lower than the most well-off in the area, compared with seven-and-a-half times lower in Cheshire West.

Data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that across 2020 and 2021, the average life expectancy for men in Cheshire East stood at 80.2 years.

But men from the wealthiest fifth of the area’s population can expect to live to 83.9 years – nine years more than the least well-off males.

Deaths due to circulatory issues were the main reason behind lower life expectancy for the area’s poorer men over 2020 and 2021 – reducing their expected life span by 2.3 years.

Meanwhile, average life expectancy for women in Cheshire East was 83.4 years in 2020 and 2021 – with the least deprived women expected to live 6.2 years longer than those from the area’s poorer communities.

Meanwhile, in Cheshire West, the average life expectancy for men stood at 79.2 years in 2020 and 2021.

But men from the wealthiest fifth of the area’s population can expect to live to 82 years – 7.5 years more than the least well-off males.

Deaths due to cancer were the main reason behind lower life expectancy for the area’s poorer men over 2020 and 2021 – reducing their expected life span by 1.6 years.

Meanwhile, average life expectancy for women in Cheshire West and Chester was 83 years in 2020 and 2021 – with the least deprived women expected to live 6.9 years longer than those from the area’s poorer communities.

David Finch, assistant director at the Health Foundation, a charity working to tackle health inequalities said: "There are staggering differences in life chances in the UK depending on where people live.

"Prior to the pandemic, improvements in health had stalled while inequalities had widened.

"This includes major variation in healthy life expectancy between different areas of the country but also within local areas – sometimes between places that are just a few miles from one another."

While there were stark differences in life expectancy within Cheshire East and West, the expected life span for men in the areas is above the national average of 78.7 years.

Mr Finch continued: "We also see significant variation in how many people have long-term conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, between different areas.

"Such marked differences in health are partly related to the varying conditions in which people are born, live and work."

He added that an absence of economic and educational opportunities in poorer areas will likely impact the health and wellbeing of the most deprived.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said tackling health disparities is a "priority" for the Government.

“Later this year we will set out bold action in a white paper to reduce the gap in health outcomes between different places, so that people’s backgrounds do not dictate their prospects for a healthy life,” they said.

“We are also helping local authorities improve public health by increasing their grant to just over £3.4 billion this year, and we are investing a further £39 billion in overall health and care over the next three years.

"This will put in place comprehensive reforms to ensure we have a health and care system that is sustainable and fit for the future.”