Healthy life expectancy across Britain plunges to lowest level on record in 'worrying trend'

The new figures also show a widening North-South divide.

When the ONS first began tracking healthy life expectancy in 2011–2013, men could expect to live 63.4 years in good health and women 64.1 years. Today, that has fallen to just 60.7 years for men and 60.9 for women. This means that over the past 13 years, Britons have lost nearly three healthy years of life.

The decline has accelerated since the pandemic. Since 2019, men have lost 1.8 healthy years and women 2.5 in the latest figures.

The research bears out research which shows millions are facing more years battling illness, disability and chronic conditions.

In England, healthy life expectancy at birth remains highest in the South and lowest in the North.

The South East, London and the South West top the table for years lived in good health. Meanwhile, the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the North West are at the bottom.

The gap across local areas of the UK is now the widest ever recorded.

Men in the best-off areas can expect to live 14.7 more years in good health than those in the worst-off areas, the largest gap ever recorded. For women, the difference is 15.8 years, one of the largest gaps on record.

The ONS says this shows health inequality has continued to widen since the coronavirus lockdowns.

It says this continues a trend of increasing inequality since the onset of the pandemic.

Experts warn the implications are profound, especially for those nearing retirement age.

David Cooper, director at retirement specialist Just Group, said the trend could derail retirement plans.

He said: “Despite life expectancy seeing modest recent increases, the amount of time that the average UK adult can expect to spend in good health is reducing. It is a worrying trend that will have a significant impact on some people’s plans for retirement,” he said.

“For those with a shorter healthy life expectancy, they may have to grapple with the challenge of being forced out of work by ill-health before they start to receive the state pension. This leaves them with an income gap between stopping work and receiving their state pension. For these individuals, they may need to call on their retirement savings much earlier than expected and make them stretch further than planned.”

The warning will send alarm bells ringing among older workers concerned about the rising state pension age and the cost of living.

Being pushed out of the workforce early due to ill health could leave some facing years without sufficient income.

Mr Cooper also warned falling healthy life expectancy raises urgent questions about how Britons prepare for later-life care.

He said: “The decrease in healthy life expectancy also poses a question for everyone approaching, or in, retirement... how should they plan for later life care?”

“Care represents a huge, and difficult-to-manage financial risk for people. Many find themselves with caring responsibilities for elderly parents or relatives, with some ultimately needing to organise and pay for care for themselves or their partners.

“The earlier the care conversation happens, the better. It means people won’t face a sudden shock at the point-of-need.”

The figures are likely to intensify pressure on ministers to address long-standing health inequalities and support ageing populations.

While the ONS data does not assign specific causes, experts have repeatedly pointed to the lingering health impact of Covid-19, pressures on the NHS and widening economic inequality as factors influencing long-term health outcomes.

The pandemic has been linked to delayed diagnoses, treatment backlogs and worsening mental health.

The widening gap between the healthiest and least healthy areas of the country suggests that deeper structural issues are also at play.

Mr Cooper said: “The regional disparities are particularly alarming with persistent health inequalities between the North and South of England. These stark differences reflect not only economic disparities but also unequal access to healthcare, lifestyle factors, education, and housing, all of which influence health outcomes over the long-term.”

Health charities and think-tanks have previously warned people in poorer communities are more likely to suffer from multiple long-term conditions at younger ages.

Years spent in ill health can mean reduced earning power, greater reliance on benefits and higher care costs.

For women, the sharper fall in healthy life expectancy has also raised questions about how they manage caring responsibilities and part-time work with their health and income in later life.

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