England's North‑South life expectancy gap widens, King's Fund report finds

New analysis by the King's Fund shows that the gap in life expectancy between England’s northern regions and the south has widened over the past decade. In the North East, average life expectancy is three years lower than in London, and the West Midlands also lags behind southern areas. The report notes that gains recorded in 2025 were uneven, with northern regions experiencing little to no improvement while the south saw continued rises.

The charity says the government's target to increase healthy life expectancy for all and halve the regional gap is now unrealistic without major, unprecedented public‑health interventions. Healthy life expectancy has fallen by about 2.5 years since 2022‑24, and people in the most deprived areas can expect a decade shorter overall lifespan and up to two decades less healthy life compared with the least deprived. Overall, the UK's life expectancy is now lower than all comparable high‑income countries except Germany and the United States.

King's Fund senior fellow Veena Raleigh described the persistent north‑south disparity as “a mark of shame for an affluent country,” urging bold cross‑government action to address preventable illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.