Healthy life expectancy falls across Telford and Shropshire as new figures reveal stark gaps

Stark differences exist within Shropshire when it comes to the number of years that babies can expect to live a healthy life.

Figures for healthy life expectancy have fallen nationally for both men and women since the mid 2010s and continued through the covid years.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) last month released figures for each local authority area, including Telford & Wrekin and  Shropshire.

Health officials say the reasons for differences are “complex” but doing worst of all were females born in Telford & Wrekin in 2022-24.

They can expect to have 55.4 years of good health, which is more than three years fewer than babies could expect if they were born in 2019-21 (58.5 years).

For Telford & Wrekin’s men, the figure has dropped 2.1 years, from 58.8 to 56.7.

Shropshire people do much better than their county counterparts.

In Shropshire both females and males can expect to have a longer healthier life than those in Telford & Wrekin.

But the figures have also dropped by numbers of healthy years in both males and females.

A Shropshire female born in 2022-24 can now expect to live a healthy life of 62.4 years compared to 66 years in 2019-21.

And a Shropshire-born male can expect 63 years of healthy life compared to 65.3 years if born a few years beforehand.

A spokesperson for Telford & Wrekin Council said differences are ‘complex’ and cannot be explained by levels of deprivation alone.

A spokesperson said: “ONS data shows that healthy life expectancy has fallen nationally for both men and women, with declines beginning in the mid‑2010s and continuing through the covid‑19 period.

“While deprivation is an important contributing factor locally – linked to higher smoking rates and chronic disease in our most disadvantaged communities – the picture is complex.

“Other parts of the West Midlands with higher levels of deprivation, including Birmingham and Wolverhampton, record higher healthy life expectancy for both men and women, indicating that deprivation alone does not fully explain local outcomes.”

The gaps also reflect how the indicator is measured, the council spokesperson said.

“The gap between men and women’s healthy life expectancy also reflects how this indicator is measured.

“Healthy life expectancy draws on self-reported health data, and census evidence shows that women are more likely than men to report bad or very bad health from age 25 onwards – a pattern consistent across every upper-tier local authority in the West Midlands.”

But the council spokesperson said the authority “remains committed to reducing inequalities and improving health through prevention programmes.”

This work includes action on smoking, partnership work via the health and wellbeing board, and neighbourhood health initiatives that support people to age well, stay independent and live longer, healthier lives.”