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This research monitor details limiting long-term illness results from the 2001 Census. The census definition of a limiting long-term illness is somewhat general and is said to represent any long-term illness; health problem or disability that limits daily activities or work.

Table 1 reveals that out of a population of just over 52 million in England and Wales, 9.5 million or 18.2 % were said to suffer from some form of limiting long-term illness, of which, 4.3 million were of working age. In the North West, the percentage of people suffering from a limiting long-term illness was 20.7%. For the broader Lancashire NUTS-2 area, which includes Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Unitary Authorities, the percentage was also 20.7% which means that the County has a much higher incidence of people with limiting long-term illnesses than the England and Wales average. Lancashire also has a higher proportion of people of working age who through illness have to manage with some form of disadvantage.

At the district level, Blackpool had over 36,000 people, more than a quarter of its population, suffering from a limiting long-term illness, of which in excess of 17,000 were of working age. The Districts of Burnley, Fylde and Hyndburn also had higher proportions than the North West average. The two districts of South Ribble and Ribble Valley were the only areas of the Lancashire NUTS-2 region that had lower percentages of people with long-term illnesses than the average for England and Wales.

Long-term Illness and Dependent Children

Table 2 reveals that on average, a substantial 34% of the 21 million households in England and Wales contain at least one person with a limiting long-term illness. At the North West and the Lancashire NUTS-2 area levels the averages are somewhat higher with both areas recording a figure 38.4%.

At the district level, 42.9% of households in Blackpool contain at least one person with a limiting long-term illness. The districts of Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Wyre also recorded percentages in excess of 40%. In contrast, Ribble Valley district with 31.6% was the only district with an average figure lower than for England and Wales as a whole.

Ward Profile

The ward information detailed in this article refers to wards that were legally existing on 31 December 2002. A number of other research monitors contain ward information based on earlier ward boundaries and therefore are not fully compatible.

Table 3 reveals that the Jubilee Ward in Fleetwood (31.4%) has the highest proportion of people who consider themselves to be suffering from a limiting long-term illness. In comparison, Ellel Ward in Lancaster District was the only ward in Lancashire that recorded a percentage of below 10%.

Figure 1 details the percentage of the population within each Lancashire ward with a limiting long-term illness. The results have been aggregated into broad groups and reveal that a large number of coastal wards have over 25% of the resident population who consider themselves to be suffering from a limiting long-term illness. This is likely to be a reflection of the popularity of coastal areas amongst the older age-groups.

Figure 1Percentage of All People with a Limiting Long-term Illness, 2001

Table 4 highlights the central Blackpool wards of Bloomfield, Talbot and Claremont as having high proportions of people of working age who are disadvantaged by a limiting long-term illness. At the other extreme, low levels of illnesses are found in the more rural wards within Lancashire.

Figure 2 Percentage of Working-Age with a Limiting Long-term Illness, 2001

Figure 2 shows that amongst the population of working with a limiting long-term illness there are high concentrations in a number of central Blackpool wards but the Fylde coast as a whole does not show the same concentrations as seen in Figure 1.

Of particular note in Figure 2 is the fact that four of the Skelmersdale wards are now found in the highest percentage group.

For further details, or if you have any ideas for improving the content of this article, please contact:
Bryan Moulding
Tel 01772 534172
Email Bryan.Moulding@lancashire.gov.uk