· Official data reveals between 2016 and 2018 life expectancy at birth was 79.3 for men and 82.9 for women, representing an increase of 3.7 and 4.2 weeks respectively (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/lifeexpectancies/bulletins/nationallifetablesunitedkingdom/2016to2018#how-does-the-uk-rank-internationally)
· Life expectancy at age 65 has also increased marginally, to 18.6 years for men and 21 years for women
· Despite this UK life expectancy improvements continue to lag international counterparts
Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell, comments:
“While it’s easy to be negative about the dramatic slowdown in life expectancy improvements recently, it is worth remembering we are now living longer than at any time before. Although this is what you would expect in a developed country, it is still something to be celebrated.
“However, policymakers cannot gloss over the fact life expectancy improvements have ground to a near standstill in recent years.
“If this trend continues, or if life expectancy were to slip into reverse, it could have profound implications both for people’s retirements and society in general.
“Understanding why this is happening and reflecting any long-term shifts across policy areas, including pensions, should be an absolute priority for this Government.
“As we creep towards a general election, it seems inevitable the political dynamite of life expectancy improvements dipping during a period of austerity will be seized upon by opposition parties.
“But anyone hoping for planned state pension age increases to be reversed is likely to be left disappointed. The cost of state pensions in the UK has been ballooning for decades and rowing back on these reforms would cost the Exchequer eye-watering sums of money.”
