Women in the North and North East of England have shorter lives, are in poorer health and work more hours for less pay than their southern counterparts, a "damning" report has revealed.

MPs in the region have said we must "do better" in response to the report released today (Tuesday, September 3).

"Unequal challenges and inequalities" - that is the verdict of the 'Woman of The North' report by Health Equity North who say women born and living in northern regions face stark challenges in relation to their life chances and health.

The findings, put together by more than 70 academics, reveal that women living in the the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East have a lower healthy life expectancy, fewer qualifications and worse mental health.

They are also more likely to suffer domestic violence or to end up in the criminal justice system than their counterparts in the rest of England.

The report reads: "Women in the North of England face a double challenge – their wellbeing, throughout their lives, is shaped by both gender and geography.

"Compared to women living in other parts of the country, women in the North experience inequalities in the wider determinants of health and, consequentially, inequalities in their health.

"These inequalities have grown in the past decade, diminishing women’s life chances and quality of life on an unacceptable scale. Woman of the North. What a powerful image that conjures up. And what a mighty number and range of women that describes."

The research also found that girls born in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber between 2018 and 2020 can only expect to live in good health until 59.7, 62.4 and 62.1 years, respectively.

This is up to four years lower than the national average and up to six years lower than girls born in the South East.

The North East also has the highest proportion of women who provide unpaid care at 12 per cent  -compared to 8.4 per cent in London and 11.2 per cent in the North West. In the North, that is worth an estimated £10bn.

Following the publication of the report, Hannah Davies, executive director at Health Equity North, said: “Our report provides damning evidence of how women in the North are being failed across the whole span of their lives.

“Over the last 10 years, women in the North have been falling behind their counterparts in the rest of country, both in terms of the wider determinants of health and, consequently, inequalities in their health.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done to turn the tide on the years of damage detailed in this report.

“But the situation for women’s health in the North can be changed for the better through evidence-based policy interventions.”

Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, who had backed the report as well as co-wrote the foreword, added: “From leaving school to the boardroom, at home and at work, women and girls across the North bear the brunt of failings in our economy, society and public services.

“The lack of equality and opportunity that remains ingrained in modern Britain is unacceptable.”

Among the measures suggested were helping women to claim their rightful benefits, the adaptation of health services, improving childcare provision and ending the two-child benefit cap.

Lola McEvoy, MP for Darlington, reacted by saying the report made for uncomfortable reading, and insisted that the region must strive to make improvements.

She said: "It's hard to read of the reality of so many women in our great region. Women here are tough, but this report shows the struggle they're facing is unacceptable. We must do better.

"After 14 years of Tory chaos and mismanagement, Labour was elected to make things better and that's what we intend to do. I am personally determined to use my position to champion better outcomes for all of us and to improve the services that should be there to support us."

Mary Kelly Foy, MP for the City of Durham, reacted to the "important" report in shock - but added that this is only the "tip of the iceberg".

She said: “This is an incredibly important report, and I am grateful to all those who contributed to it.

“Fourteen years of Tory-led austerity has had a devastating impact on the North of England and women have borne the brunt.

“The health inequalities that the report reveals are shocking: girls born in the North East have a lower life expectancy compared with the average in England.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether it’s pregnancy and reproductive health, mental health or sexual health, women in the North are worse off.”

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She added: “Underlying this are Dickensian levels of poverty and cripplingly low wages compared to the national average.

“In addition, many women in the North are not even being paid for their work: in the North East, women are more likely to provide the highest levels of unpaid care a week.

“As a North East MP, I will be working closely with our mayor, Kim McGuinness, to right these wrongs, and deliver justice for women and girls in the North.”