The Health Foundation's analysis follows its recent study which found the UK's health is falling behind other high income countries.
Charles Tallack, director of research and analysis at The Health Foundation, said: ‘Following the Government's 10-Year Health Plan, our analysis adds fresh urgency to the need for coordinated, cross-sector action to address health inequalities. A thriving society needs all the right "building blocks" of health in place, such as jobs, homes and education. The Government's health mission promised just such an approach, but this is currently missing in action.'
The analysis finds socioeconomic factors such as levels of education, types of occupation and the level of deprivation in an area are by far the biggest contributors to premature deaths (54%). Ethnicity and being born outside the UK also play a role, although this is much smaller (7%).
Premature deaths were highest in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and, in particular, the North East, where all but one local authority have premature death rates above the average rate for England and Wales.
The analysis aligns with previous research by The Health Foundation which found the North East has lowest life expectancy in England and particular health challenges associated with long-term economic decline.
In its latest research, the think-tank found the impact of socioeconomic and ethnicity factors varied between areas.
In Blackpool, these factors almost entirely explain its higher premature death rate whereas in other areas, these factors do not entirely explain higher premature death rates, highlighting the need for further understanding of other drivers of these disparities.
The analysis also looks at four of the leading causes of death - cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases. It found the gap in premature death rates was widest for deaths associated with diabetes and respiratory diseases. In the local authorities with the highest rates, people are around three times more likely to die before 75 from these conditions. This compares with cancer, where people are less than twice as likely to die early in the local authorities with the highest rates.
The new analysis follows the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan which reiterates the Government's goal to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. To meet this goal, The Health Foundation has called for a new strategy to tackle health inequalities, alongside long-term action to rebuild the nation's health and promote economic recovery in deprived areas.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘The NHS was founded on the principle of equality so it is unacceptable that stark health inequalities remain in the 21st century.
‘The 10-Year Health Plan will look at how resources are targeted in relation to need and we will ensure that resource is as fair and effective as possible across the entire country.
‘This will support millions of people in parts of England that have historically been left behind – such as in rural communities, coastal towns, and working-class communities.'
The 10-Year Health Plan pledges major changes to how GP funding is distributed to help working-class communities and coastal areas.
