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Cllr Izzi Seccombe, the LGA's Community and Wellbeing spokesperson, responds to Public Health England's report on life expectancy.

"It is great news that more people are living longer and that life expectancy has risen to its highest ever level, but seeing this continue highlights the urgent need for local services to be adequately funded.

"The significant pressures facing adult social care, which an ageing population will add to, combined with the recently announced reductions to the public health budget, make this aspiration all the more challenging.

"The report also shows that there is work to be done in addressing inequalities in those areas where life expectancy has fallen, which is why it is crucial we invest more in prevention. This not only saves money for other parts of the public sector by reducing demand for hospital, health and social care services, but ultimately improves the public's health and enables them to live longer, healthier and independent lives."

View report: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/499252/Recent_trends_in_life_expectancy_at_older_ages_2014_update.pdf