Life Expectancy at Birth and at 65 years

There are a number of different types of life expectancy, which include life expectancy at birth, life expectancy at 65, healthy life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy to name just a few examples. Life expectancy is a key indicator used to demonstrate inequalities in health, with significant variations in life expectancy recorded between different communities within the East Riding. All types of life expectancy are calculated for males and females separately.

Life expectancy within different areas of Great Britain

The interactive map below is provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and allows viewers to see 2 different types of life expectancy for males and females.

Different areas of Great Britain can be selected by either clicking on the map or selecting an area of interest by clicking in the box with a downward facing arrow. Viewers of the map can zoom into an area by either using the wheel on their mouse or using the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ buttons. When an area is selected the map will provide a trend line over time (between 2003 and the latest year), comparing the life expectancy of that particular area against that of the national average. Viewers can also choose specific points in time by clicking and dragging the timeline beneath the chart. Darker areas of the map indicate a higher life expectancy.

Figure 1. Life expectancy within Great Britain. Note ‘PE’ stands for ‘Period Life Expectancy’. Source: ONS

Life expectancy at birth: East Riding overview

Life expectancy at birth is an indicator which estimates the average number of years a newborn baby could be expected to live, assuming the current mortality rates remain constant throughout their life.

In the charts below, East Riding life expectancy is displayed for males and females respectively, with a comparison against the England average. The time periods are displayed as 3 year pooled periods, so for example 2001-03 combined data from 2001, 2002 and 2003.

For males (Figure 2), the East Riding has (in all but one year) recorded significantly higher life expectancy than England, as represented by the green dots. In the latest period (2021-23) the East Riding life expectancy at birth was 79.8 years in contrast to England overall at 79.1 years.
East Riding females (Figure 3) also largely recorded higher life expectancy than England, but not all periods were significantly higher from a statistical point of view (as represented by the yellow dots). In 2021-23 life expectancy at birth for East Riding females was 83.4 years, in comparison to the England average of 83.1 years.

Figure 2. Male life expectancy over time: East Riding compared to England. Source: OHID Fingertips

Figure 3. Female life expectancy over time: East Riding compared to England. Source: OHID Fingertips

Life expectancy at birth: East Riding wards

Figures 3 and 4 below, display life expectancy at birth estimates for males and females. Both estimate the average number of years a newborn baby could be expected to live, assuming the mortality rates remained the same as they were in the 3 year pooled period 2022-24. These particular charts are more up to date than Figures 2 and 3 above.

There is a stark difference in life expectancy between the East Riding’s most and least deprived wards (the least deprived generally recording higher life expectancy than the more deprived areas). For males there is over 10 years difference in life expectancy between the East Riding’s most deprived ward (Bridlington South with 72.9 years life expectancy at birth) and the least deprived ward (South Hunsley at 83.6 years). For females (second chart below), the gap is less but no less significant at 7.1 years difference between the same two wards.

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