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Southern towns 'enjoy higher life expectancy'
April 24, 2012
Most of the areas with the longest life expectancies are located in the south of England, a study has found.
People who live in the south of England may benefit from longer life expectancy, new research suggests.
A study by actuaries at Towers Watson found that the vast majority of towns and villages with the highest life expectancies are located in the south of England.
The village where people tend to enjoy the longest lifespan is currently Hinton St George in Somerset, followed by Aldeburgh in Suffolk, Frinton-on-Sea in Essex and Seaview on the Isle of Wight.
In contrast, the study of mortality rates among people receiving occupational pensions revealed that those living in Bootle (Merseyside) tend to die at a younger age than elsewhere.
Other areas with particularly low life expectancies include Castlederg and Strabane in Northern Ireland and Saltcoats in Scotland.
Matthew Fletcher, a senior consultant at Towers Watson, observed: "Where people live can be a powerful predictor of how long they will live."
He pointed out that people cannot expect to extend their lifespan simply by moving to the south of England.
"Instead, a pensioner's address provides clues to other things linked to life expectancy, like their lifestyle and how much money they have from sources besides their pension," he explained.
The report coincides with comments by a statistician at City University, London, who believes that men may soon enjoy the same life expectancy as women thanks to factors such as falling smoking rates among men and the decline in heavy industry.
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