Hundreds of people die in poverty in Oldham every year, according to estimates which have been published for the first time.

The research which delivered the numbers was carried out by Loughborough University and was commissioned by Marie Curie, a charity which provides support to people living with terminal illnesses. 

Estimated figures suggest that 502 people in Oldham died in 2019 having experienced poverty in the last year of their life.

This makes up around 23 per cent of deaths in the borough.

There is a thought the findings could be worse than estimated, as the data was analysed before both the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

The figures show Oldham's percentage of deaths in poverty at 23 per cent is worse than the national average of the UK.

In 2019, it is estimated that 15 per cent of the 605,000 people who died in the UK had experienced poverty in the last year before their death.

The estimates were modelled by researchers who used a combination of data from a survey which closely followed the lives of thousands of people from 2009 to 2019 and local figures on deprivation.

Juliet Stone, from the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University, said the figures had "almost certainly risen" since the period covered by the research.

The figures also showed that around three-quarters of the people who died experiencing poverty were of pension age.

Of the 502 deaths in poverty in Oldham, 388 were estimated to be pensioners, roughly 77 per cent.

And 113 of the 502 deaths were estimated to be people of working age.

Robbie Cowbury, a facilitator of the Oldham Poverty Truth Commission said: "These numbers are tragic but not a surprise.

"Here in Oldham our Poverty Truth Commission has been exploring the real experiences and real impacts on people in our borough, so that we can change the story of poverty in Oldham for good.

"One of the things that has come through strongly is it’s not just about money, food, heating etc (although these are absolutely a problem).

"It’s also about a poverty hope and offering more pathways to something better for people who are struggling and need a reason to believe there’s something worth living for."

The commission, which is partnered with Oldham Council, brings 12 people with lived experience of poverty together with 12 people with the ability to do something about it.

They look at what deeper action they can take in Oldham.