[1][2] Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, Billinge is located by road approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southwest of Wigan (town centre) and 3.7 miles (5.9 km) northeast of St Helens (town centre).

[3] This township or civil parish lies within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.

[citation needed] On 2 February 1837, with the commencement of the Wigan Poor Law Union, which merged the workhouses of 20 parishes in the Wigan area, the parish was divided into two separate townships, Billinge Chapel End and Billinge Higher End.

The Church of St Aidan (Grade II*) is in the Wigan Deanery, which is part of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool.

St Mary's Church (Grade II), built in 1828, is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool.