Blackpool has the lowest life expectancy for men in England, according to a new analysis by the health think-tank The King's Fund.
Men in the seaside town can expect to live to just 73.7 years on average, almost a decade less than men in Hart, Hampshire, the area with the highest life expectancy in the country.
Women in Blackpool fare little better, with a life expectancy of 79.1 years, the lowest for women anywhere in England and significantly below the national average.
The report exposes a stark North-South divide, finding that people in London live on average around three years longer than those in the North East. While life expectancy has reached record highs nationally, with men expected to live to around 80 and women to almost 84, the report found those gains were concentrated in the South.
Other northern towns near the bottom
Blackpool is joined near the bottom of the list by Kingston upon Hull and Middlesbrough, where men are expected to live only until 75.5 years. Manchester follows close behind at 75.6 years, with Lincoln at 75.9 years.
Liverpool and Burnley, both areas with higher levels of deprivation, also featured among the lowest life expectancies in the analysis.
Women in Blackpool are expected to live longer than men, at 79.1 years, but this is still around eight years fewer than women in Hart and in Kensington and Chelsea, where female life expectancy is among the highest in England, reaching an average of 87.1 years.
Veena Raleigh, senior fellow at The King's Fund, said: "That people in our northern and deprived communities have seen little or no improvement in longevity over a decade, in contrast to the health gains in their southern and more well-off counterparts, is a mark of shame for an affluent country."
"Addressing this inequity in the nation's health is not just a matter of social justice, it would reduce pressures on the NHS and the high economic costs of ill health," she said.
A pattern of poor health
Separate reports have also highlighted Blackpool's poor health record. One published in May found Blackpool was the "takeaway capital" of the North West, with 25 fast-food shops per 10,000 people.
Another report found Blackpool had four times the average number of drug deaths and nearly double the rate of smoking deaths. It also had the highest rates of alcohol-related deaths and serious mental health conditions in England.
The King's Fund report found people in the North East were more likely to be overweight or obese, and to have high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes than people in London. They were also more likely to die prematurely from cancer and heart disease, and rates of suicide, drug deaths and alcohol-related deaths were higher.
Overall, healthy life expectancy, the number of years a person can expect to live in good health, fell by around two-and-a-half years across England. People in affluent areas lived on average six to seven years longer in good health than those in the most deprived regions.
Life expectancy in Britain as a whole was found to be the lowest of all comparable high-income countries, other than Germany and the United States.
The report argues that London's strong economy, higher wages and better job opportunities have helped people live longer, healthier lives. By contrast, it says many northern communities are still living with the effects of industrial decline following decades of factory and industry closures, which it links to higher poverty, unemployment and poorer living conditions.
Government response
Ms Raleigh added: "Improving population health and reducing entrenched health inequalities have never been more urgent and yet also more challenging, given the economic constraints facing the country."
"It will require concerted, bold, cross-governmental action to reduce largely preventable illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes associated with poor diet, drinking and smoking, and tackle the wider determinants driving persistent poor health, especially among northern and deprived communities," she said.
She noted that one of the three "radical shifts" in the Government's ten-year health plan is from sickness to prevention. "One year on, and the modest moves on this front fall well short of the bold action needed to improve public health, reduce inequalities and increase people's lives and the years they spend in good health," she said.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Someone's postcode should never dictate how long they live, and this government is determined to tackle the stark inequalities that still exist across Britain."
"We're already taking action, from allocating GP funding more fairly to delivering pioneering neighbourhood health centres in the areas that need them most. But we will now go further in devolving power to local communities, putting decision-making into the hands of those who know their areas best, and driving lasting change across the country," the spokesman said.
