UK healthy life expectancy falls by two years in past decade

The number of years people in the UK spend in good health is falling, according to a new report.

Over the past decade healthy life expectancy (HLE) has dropped by around two years to 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 significant economic cost to this trend and 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, based on data from the Office for National Statistics between 2022-24 and 2012-2014, found those in the wealthiest 10% of areas could expect to have around 20 more years of good health than those in the poorest.

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