UK Healthy Life Expectancy drops below State Pension Age

A new report reveals that the number of years people in the UK spend in good health is falling.

Over the past decade, healthy life expectancy (HLE) has fallen by around two years. It now stands at just under 61 for both men and women.

The UK is one of only five of the richest 21 countries to see HLE decline and its fall was the second steepest.

The Health Foundation, which produced the analysis, said there was a high economic cost to this trend and that the findings should act as a watershed moment.

It said poverty, poor housing and lifestyle factors such as obesity were to blame, along with the impact of the Covid pandemic.

The analysis is based on data from the Office for National Statistics between 2022-24 and 2012-2014.

It found those in the wealthiest 10% of areas could expect around 20 more years of good health than those in the poorest areas.

In England, Richmond in London had the highest rates of HLE at 69 for men and 70 for women.

But in Blackpool, it was 51 for men and was 51 in Hartlepool for women.

London was the only region that saw an improvement in HLE over the period.

In more than 90% of areas, the HLE was now below the state pension age of 66 or 67. In one in 10, it was below 55.

The report said this had a significant impact on the ability of people to work, aligning with other figures showing high numbers out of work because of ill-health.

The global comparison is based on World Health Organisation data. It compared the UK to other nations in western Europe, the Nordics, North America and Oceania.

It is now ranked 20th out of 21. Only the US sees its population live for fewer years in good health.

HLE is the technical term used by experts for an estimate of the lifetime spent in good health.

The Health Foundation said the findings revealed a stark decline in the nation’s health.

Andrew Mooney, The Health Foundation’s principal data analyst, said:

“The UK has the highest levels of obesity in western Europe and there has been a surge in mental ill health, especially among young people.”

The analysis highlights significant economic costs, with poor health affecting work and education.

Dr Layla McCay, policy director at the NHS Alliance, added:

“The figures are a stark reminder of how deeply health inequalities are affecting people’s lives, with too many communities in deprived areas spending more years in poor health.

“Our members have been clear that the answer has to be prevention first – tackling the wider determinants of health, strengthening community-based care and improving access to support closer to home.”