DEATHS from coronavirus in poorer areas of England are more than double those in the most affluent areas, an analysis of government data revealed today.

Of deaths involving Covid-19 that took place between March 1 and April 17, the mortality rate in the most deprived areas was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

By contrast, the rate was 25.3 deaths per 100,000 people in the areas with the least deprivation, analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found.

ONS head of health analysis Nick Stripe said: “General mortality rates are normally higher in more deprived areas, but so far Covid-19 appears to be taking them higher still.”

The local authorities with the highest Covid-19 mortality rates were all in London. ​

Newham had the highest, with 144.3 deaths per 100,000 population, followed by Brent at 141.5 and Hackney with 127.4.

South-west England had the lowest Covid-19 mortality rate of 16.4 deaths per 100,000 people.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation acting director Helen Barnard said that people who live in more deprived areas are less likely to have jobs where they can work from home.

She added: “This means they may have to face a very significant drop in income or keep going to work, facing greater risks of catching the virus.

“They are also more likely to live in overcrowded homes, increasing the risk for whole families. This just is not right.”

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that the analysis gave “devastating confirmation that the virus thrives on inequality.”

“Labour has long warned of shameful health inequalities which mean the poorest contract illness earlier in life and die sooner,” he added.

“Covid-19 exacerbates existing inequalities in our country. Ministers must target health inequalities with an overarching strategy to tackle the wider social determinants of ill-health.”

The ONS has analysed details of the 20,283 deaths that occurred in England and Wales between March 1 and April 17, and which were registered by April 18, where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate as the underlying cause or a contributory factor.

In Wales, where levels of deprivation are measured differently from England, the ONS found that the most deprived fifth of areas had a Covid-19 mortality rate of 44.6 deaths per 100,000 people, almost twice as high as the rate for the least deprived areas.