Life expectancy has dropped since 2020

AVERAGE life expectancy for children born in Barnsley has decreased following the Covid-19 pandemic, new figures show.

On average, life expectancy for those born between 2020 and 2022 was lower than in 2017 to 2019.

Experts said the decrease has been predominantly driven by the pandemic, which led to ‘increased mortality in 2020 and 2021’.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show both male and female life expectancy at birth decreased in Barnsley during 2020 and 2022 compared to the threeyear period prior.

The life expectancy for boys stood at 76.1 years and 79.9 for girls – down from 77.7 years and 81.6, respectively.

This was one of the lowest life expectancies for girls across the United Kingdom.

Overall, life expectancy at birth in the UK was 78.6 years for males and 82.6 years for females – a fall from 79.3 and 83 years.

But a fall in life expectancy does not mean a baby born between 2020 and 2022 will go on to live a shorter life than one born in earlier periods.

The average lifespan of a person is determined by changes in mortality rates across their lifetime, meaning that if rates improve, life expectancy will go back up, the ONS said.

Julie Stanborough, ONS deputy director of health and life events, added there is also a clear geographical divide when it comes to areas with the best and worst outcomes.

She said: “None of the ten local areas with the highest life expectancy were located in the north of England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

“By contrast, of the ten local areas with the lowest life expectancy, none were in the south of England.”

There was a gap of more than a decade between the local areas with the highest and lowest male life expectancy, and more than seven years between the top and bottom areas for female life expectancy.

Veena Raleigh, senior fellow at The King’s Fund charity, which works to improve health and care in England, said inequality has widened due to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on people living in deprived areas.

She added: “Differences in life expectancy are driven by socio-economic inequalities, including levels of income, education, housing and employment, with people in more deprived areas having significantly shorter lives on average than people in less deprived areas.”

ROYSTON Library reopened its doors to the public following a month-long closure to refurbish the site. The library has been closed since late December to allow for the makeover to take place. It included an enhanced children’s area, more comfortable seating and a new local history wall. The wall showcases the rich heritage of Royston, including a donated sign from the old Royston railway signal box that has been restored and is on loan from Barnsley Museums. It was part-funded by a £48,000 grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Coun Caroline Makinson (pictured above with granddaughter Harley Gavin), deputy leader of the council, said: “It’s very exciting to see the new and updated facilities at Royston Library and I hope local communities will make great use of it. We recognise the importance of libraries as local community hubs and remain committed to improving their facilities to meet the needs and aspirations of our residents.”