Billinge was a civil parish lying within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire on 2 February 1837 it was divided into two townships, Billinge Chapel End and Billinge Higher End when the Wigan poor law union was formed merging the workhouse provision of 20 parishes in the Wigan area.

In 1894 the area of the Local Board (together with the remaining area of Winstanley township) became Billinge Urban District, on 1 April 1924 the parish was abolished to form "Billinge and Winstanley"[3] and in 1927 the urban district was renamed Billinge and Winstanley Urban District.

[4] In 1974 most of Billinge Higher End (excepting Billinge Hill)) and most of Winstanley became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, with Billinge Chapel End (including the remainder of Winstanley) becoming part of St Helens Metropolitan Borough in Merseyside.

Adjacent places include: Billinge Higher End encompasses Longshaw.

Train services to Wigan town centre, Manchester and Kirkby are available from the nearby Orrell railway station.