Reading books, walking and bike riding are among the secrets of a long and healthy life, say residents in the English neighbourhoods with the longest life expectancy. Life expectancy is also very high in areas such as the Uttlesford district of rural Essex, where it averages 86.4 years for women. In contrast, residents in Blackpool bemoaned a 'shocking' string of social problems for contributing to low life expectancy. The King's Fund said life expectancy in England in 2025 reached the highest levels ever recorded, but the gains in longevity were not shared equally. People living in the most deprived 30 per cent of areas experienced a fall or no improvement in life expectancy in the decade to 2022-24.