Northerners were more likely to die and be hospitalised due to COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic compared with the rest of England, a report has found.

The report revealed that people living in the North of England had a 17% higher mortality rate due to COVID-19 and a 14% higher mortality rate due to all causes. Researchers said half of the increased COVID-19 mortality and two-thirds of the increased all-cause mortality were explained by preventable higher deprivation and worse pre-pandemic health in the North.