Number of years of likely good health in UK falls to new low

The proportion of life that women in the UK can expect to spend in good health has shrunk by nearly three years in the past decade, with Welsh women faring the worst, figures suggest.

Across the UK as a whole, girls born in 2022-2024 are likely to enjoy 60.9 years of good general health, according to new estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is down from 63.4 years in 2019-21, and from 63.7 a decade earlier in 2012-14.

Males have also seen a drop, though not quite as large, with boys born in 2022-24 likely to see 60.7 years of good health, down from 62.4 years in 2019-21 and 62.9 a decade ago.

Healthy life expectancy for the whole of England in 2022-24 stood at 61.3 years for females and 60.9 years for males, the highest among the four countries of the UK.

The next highest figures were for Northern Ireland, at 60.7 years for females and 60.8 for males, followed by Scotland (59.4 years and 59.1 years respectively) and Wales (58.5 years and 59.2 years).

The figures for both women and men are the lowest since healthy life expectancy was first estimated in 2011-13.

Greg Ceely, ONS head of population life events, said: “Today’s figures show that, while people in the UK are living longer than at the height of the pandemic, the proportion of their lives spent in good health is still getting smaller.

“Back in 2011, when the ONS first collected this data, men were expected to remain in good health until around the age of 63, and women 64.

“Today, they could both expect around 61 years of healthy life.”

Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research, said: ”Today’s figures show that where you live determines how many years you spend in good health – and that gap isn’t closing.

“Reforming the NHS and bringing care closer to communities can help reduce health inequalities, but most of what shapes our physical and mental health lies outside the health system.

“Without tackling those root causes, we won’t see the gains we need.”