The effects of the pandemic cut life expectancy between 2021 and 2023 across the UK with no sign yet of recovery, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.

The trend continues a recent picture of “stalling” life expectancy improvements - seen since 2015.

Between 2021 and 2023, male life expectancy at birth remained lower than in the last pre-pandemic period (2017 to 2019) in more than 80% of the UK.

Female life expectancy was lower in 70% of them.

The 10 local areas with the highest life expectancy were all in the South of England.

In England the lowest life expectancy across local areas was in Blackpool for males (73.1 years) and females (78.9 years). The highest life expectancy was in Hart in Hampshire for males (83.4 years) and in Kensington and Chelsea (86.5 years) for females.

This compares to average male life expectancy in England of 79.1 years and average female life expectancy of 83 years.

Greg Ceely, head of population health monitoring at the ONS, said: “Today’s data show a decline in life expectancy in most areas during 2021 to 2023, compared with the period of 2017 to 2019. This suggests we are yet to see a recovery from the decrease in life expectancy we saw during the pandemic.

“Our results continue to show a clear geographical divide. For example, in England, male life expectancy in the South East is three years higher than in the North East, and female life expectancy 2.7 years higher in London compared to the North East.”

Life expectancy has risen steadily in most parts of the UK since the Second World War but the improvement has halted in recent years.

Life expectancy in local areas of England, Northern Ireland and Wales fell between 2020 and 2022 compared to 2001 to 2003, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.