Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

Our city

Liverpool is a vibrant city with a growing population and is a great place to live, work and socialise.  Like all cities, Liverpool faces many challenges and the aim of the JSNA is to highlight the key health and wellbeing issues affecting our residents so that the health and social care system can help address them.

Key facts

  • Liverpool is home to 500,474 residents (ONS, 2021) and the average age in the city is 37.6 years.

  • There are 58,600 more people living in the city than in 2001, which is a 13.3% increase.

  • Population projections suggest the increase will continue in the coming years, with the number of local residents increasing by a further 33,400 over the next decade, potentially impacting on the provision of health services within primary and secondary care.

  • While the city has a relatively young population, particularly in the 20-29 age group, the Office for National Statistics project a substantial increase in the number of children and older people in Liverpool over the coming decade.

  • The biggest change in population in Liverpool will be the increase in those aged 60 and over. It is estimated that the number of people in this age group will increase by 16.8%, the equivalent of an additional 16,800 people by 2031. It is likely that the increasing numbers of older residents will impact greatly on NHS services and adult social care. However, if older people can stay healthy for longer they can have a positive impact on the local and national economy as well as remaining engaged members of society.

  • According to the 2011 Census some 15% of our residents class themselves as part of an ethnic minority group, equating to 75,000 residents, while 31,500 Liverpool residents report their main language is not English (6.3%).

  • One third (33%) of the Liverpool population have at least one morbidity, 14% have multimorbidity, and 6% have physical and mental health comorbidity.

  • At the age of 50 years, almost half of the population In Liverpool (47%) have at least one morbidity, and by age 65 years 41% were multimorbid. Moreover, 60% of people aged 15 and over with physical–mental health comorbidity in Liverpool are younger than 65 years. The early onset of multimorbidity in our working age population will not only impact on services but also on productivity and the economy as well, as many of these people will not be able to work and contribute to economy and this perpetuates the circle of poor health and unemployment. While an ageing population is not per se a driver of increased pressure on services, multimorbidity starting with younger ages is.

  • There is a strong correlation between deprivation and poor health. According to the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Liverpool was the 3rd most deprived local authority in the country and around 62% of areas in Liverpool fall into the most deprived national quintile.

  • Almost a third (32%) of residents live in areas (LSOAs) which score in the poorest performing 20% on the healthy neighbourhoods (AHAH) index, the highest level in the North West.

  • Employment is significantly below the England average with 71.7% of the working age population in employment compared to 75.1% nationally.

View Local Authority Health Profiles, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Liverpool information

Key demographics

CCG network profiles

Public Health England profiles

Useful websites

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