NEW data has revealed how long the average person is expected to live throughout different areas of Sussex.

The most recent figures (from the years 2017 - 2019) have been released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

All parts of Sussex are near or above the national average of 79.4 years for males and 83.1 years for females.

The worst life expectancy figures are in Brighton and Hove - 79.1 for men and 83.2 for women and Worthing, where it is 79.2 for men and 83.1 for women.

Lewes is 80.9 for men and 85.1 for women while Adur District, it is 81.4 for men and 83.5 for women.

In Mid Sussex life expectancy is 81.5 for men and 85 for women however the best results are in Horsham.

In Horsham life expectancy is 82.5 for men and 85.4 for women.

Source: Office for National Statistics – Life expectancy for local areas of the UK

The lowest regional life expectancy for both males and females in 2017 to 2019 was observed in the North East; the North East's life expectancy at birth was also lower than in the countries of Wales and Northern Ireland but higher than in Scotland.

The largest local area increase in life expectancy between 2009 to 2011 and 2017 to 2019 for males at birth was in Westminster, while for females it was in Scotland's council area of Na h-Eileanan Siar.

The national average life expectancy at birth in the UK in 2017 to 2019 was 79.4 years for males and 83.1 years for females - slight improvements were observed from 2016 to 2018 of 6.3 weeks and 7.3 weeks for males and females respectively.

Edward Morgan, Centre for Ageing and Demography, ONS, said: "The improvements in life expectancy at birth for males and females in the UK between 2016 to 2018 and 2017 to 2019, although lower than historical improvements prior to 2011, were the highest annual improvements for five years.

"The gap in annual improvements in life expectancy at birth between males and females has been narrowing since 2013 to 2015.

"In 2017 to 2019, female life expectancy improvements were seen to slightly exceed those for males for the first time since the start of the published data series in 1981 to 1983.

"However, it is too early to say whether this is a trend that will continue into the future.

"The impact of Covid-19 on period life expectancy will be shown in the National life table for 2018 to 2020 which will be published in Autumn 2021.

"The National life tables 2017 to 2019 were produced using data up to the end of December 2019, and therefore precede the Covid-19 pandemic."