Pensioners in one of Britain’s most affluent boroughs stand to receive more than £400,000 in state pension payments over their retirement, highlighting stark regional disparities in life expectancy that determine the total value of the benefit. While anyone with 35 years of National Insurance contributions qualifies for the full new state pension, the lifetime amount varies hugely depending on postcode and longevity.

An analysis using the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data on life expectancy for 65-year-olds in each local authority, reveals that women in Kensington and Chelsea, west London, can expect to live until 88.9 on average. This translates to an estimated £403,689 in total state pension payments—£140,000 more than a woman in Glasgow, where the average lifespan reaches only 83.1, the lowest in the UK.

The calculations, conducted by The Times in collaboration with wealth manager Quilter, assume annual increases of 2.5%—the minimum under the Government’s triple lock policy—and pensioners claiming from age 66.

For men, the best returns are in Hart, Hampshire, where a 65-year-old is expected to live to 86.2, yielding £345,300 in payments. This is approximately £95,000 more than in Blackpool, which has an average male lifespan of 81.4 years.

Adam Cole of Quilter commented: “Regional differences in life expectancy could have a significant impact on the total value of state pension you get.

“When you factor in that the state pension age is typically the same for everyone, the financial disparity becomes clear.”

The south of England dominates the areas offering the highest returns. All local authorities where women aged 65 are projected to live at least another 23 years are in London or the south, including Westminster, Camden, Richmond upon Thames, Winchester, Barnet, Harrow, and South Hams in Devon, following Kensington and Chelsea.

Men also fare better in southern regions; after Hart, the top areas include Richmond upon Thames, Barnet, Harrow, Westminster, Wokingham in Berkshire, Winchester, and Uttlesford in Essex. Ribble Valley in Lancashire is the only northern entrant in the male top ten.

The full new state pension currently stands at £230.25 a week, though contributions fund broader welfare including the NHS, maternity allowance, and universal credit.

Former pensions minister Steve Webb noted the system’s “risk-pooling” nature, where early deaths subsidise longer lives. He suggested alternatives, such as varying pension rates by region or guaranteeing a minimum five years’ payout to heirs if someone dies soon after retiring.

Mr Webb, now at consultancy Lane Clark & Peacock, said: “This isn’t perfect, but it takes away some of the most extreme unfairness, such as someone dying the day after they retire.”

The Government launched a review of the state pension age in July amid rising life expectancy—now 79.2 for men and 83 for women born 2022-2024—and concerns over affordability.

Pensioner spending is projected to climb from £161.2 billion in 2025-26 to £195.4 billion by 2030-31, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies warns the age may need to reach 74 by 2068 to sustain the triple lock. Any increase risks further disadvantaging shorter-lived regions in the north.

As the state pension age rises to 67 by 2028 and potentially 68 sooner, such postcode inequalities will likely fuel a growing debate over fairness in Britain’s retirement system.