ONS data reveals healthy life expectancy improvements stalling Health Foundation response to ONS data on health state life expectancies, UK: 2015 to 2017

Commenting on the publication of ONS local, regional and national estimates of life expectancy and health state life expectancy, Dave Finch, Senior Fellow at the Health Foundation, said: 

'Data released today by the Office for National Statistics provides further evidence of widening inequalities in healthy life expectancy in the UK, revealing an alarming gap of 21.5 years spent in good health for women across local authorities in the UK.  

‘The government has outlined a mission to improve healthy life expectancy, so that by 2035 people enjoy at least five extra years in good health, while closing inequalities.  But today’s ONS data shows that healthy life expectancy improvements are stalling and has actually fallen for women, illustrating the scale of the challenge.

‘To start reversing these trends, cross-government action is urgently required to ensure people are able to live longer lives in good health. This should be underpinned by greater investment to address the social determinants that influence people’s health - including tackling poverty, access to affordable healthy food, well-designed transport systems, and the quality of housing, work and education.’

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