The life expectancy of the poorest girls in England has fallen for the first time on record since the 1920s, new figures show, in what charities and opposition politicians described as an “appalling” consequence of underfunding in health and social care. Despite a gradual increase in the predicted lifespan of the population over the past century, data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows deprived females born between 2014 and 2016 were expected to die younger than those born between 2011 and 2013. The gap in life expectancy between the poorest and most advantaged females in England has meanwhile reached a record high, now standing at seven years and five months – a rise of five months between the two most recent periods observed. Read more.
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