LIFE expectancy in Bradford has fallen, with men most badly hit, new figures have shown, following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows in Bradford, a male born between 2018 and 2020 is expected to live until that are 77.3 years old, down from 77.7 years for males born between 2015 and 2017.

For females, life expectancy has dropped from 81.6 years to 81.5.

Life expectancy in Bradford remains below the UK average, by 1.7 years for men and 1.4 years for women.

The ONS has blamed the impact of Covid-19, which has caused the number of deaths over the past 18 months to increase markedly, but doesn't necessarily mean people born recently will live shorter lives.

Pamela Cobb, of the ONS centre for ageing and demography, said: “Life expectancy has increased in the UK over the last 40 years, albeit at a slower pace in the last decade.

“However, the coronavirus pandemic led to a greater number of deaths than normal in 2020.

“Consequently, in the latest estimates, we see virtually no improvement in life expectancy for women, while for men life expectancy has fallen back to levels reported for 2012 to 2014.

“This is the first time we have seen a decline when comparing non-overlapping time periods since the series began in the early 1980s.”

The ONS also said the figures did not necessarily mean a baby born between 2018 and 2020 will live a shorter life, with the estimates based on the "unusually high" levels of deaths.

“Once the coronavirus pandemic has ended and its consequences for future mortality are known, it is possible that life expectancy will return to an improving trend in the future," Ms Cobb added.

Bradford's life expectancy remains below both the national average and the Yorkshire and Humber average.

Life expectancy has fallen more in the North and West Midlands, which thee ONS said this was another example of the impact of coronavirus in 2020, with these areas recording lower male and female Covid-19 mortality rates than other regions.

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