BLACKBURN with Darwen is one of six areas across the UK where life expectancy at birth has significantly decreased, new figures have revealed.

The borough, along with Southend-on-Sea, ranks particularly poorly for women where a year of their life is lost.

For women in the borough, life expectancy tumbles from 81.1 at birth to 80.1, according to the Office for National Statistics data.

The sharpest fall in life expectancy for men at birth was felt in Gloucester, Hartlepool, Norwich and Dundee, between the years 2012 to 2014 and 2015 to 2017.

Life expectancy for men at birth has also fallen in Blackburn with Darwen, from 76.7 in 2012 to 2014 to 76.6 in 2015 to 2017.

George McNamara, director of policy and influencing at the Independent Age charity described the figures as unacceptable and blamed deep-rooted health inequalities across the UK

He said: “Healthy life expectancy should not be a postcode lottery, and it’s absolutely essential that we understand and address these inequalities.

“Older age is not just about living longer, but also about having a good quality of life in older age, no matter where you live.”