Residents of Islington can expect to live in good health nearly five years fewer than the national average, figures released by the Office for National Statistics reveal.
Islington’s healthy life expectancy, a measure of the average time for which people live without significant health problems, is 59.1 years, compared to 63.5 in the UK as a whole.
Of London’s 32 boroughs, only Barking & Dagenham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Newham performed worse than Islington. Life expectancy in Islington also lags behind the UK average, at 77.9 years compared to 81.6.
Highest life expectancy
Kensington & Chelsea had the highest life expectancy in London at 82.6, while Richmond-upon-Thames had the best healthy life expectancy at 69.2.
Life expectancy continues to increase across the UK, although the rise has plateaued in recent years. The Carlisle district of Great Corby and Geltside is the best place for women hoping for a long life, with a female life expectancy of 97.2. Warfield Harvest Rise in Berkshire was best for men at 90.3.
Wide-ranging impact
Samuel Stensland, communications manager of the Cripplegate Foundation, which works to tackle poverty and inequality in Islington, said: “The impacts of inequality and disparity are wide-ranging. Islington is a place of social extremes, but it is also a borough with lots of services and organisations working hard to provide support.
“Our work enables our most disadvantaged residents to make the most of opportunities, by improving access to information, advice and support. We also work to tackle the effects of isolation, which can impact on mental and physical health.”
