New statistics show a wide difference in healthy life expectancy across the UK Health Foundation response to ONS statistics on healthy life expectancy

Responding to the ONS data on health life expectancy (2016-2018), Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation, said: 

‘Today’s data shows wide differences in our health with a girl born in Nottingham expecting as little as 54 years of good health, a whole 18 years fewer than a girl born in Wokingham. Across the UK as a whole the gap in healthy life expectancy is 19.1 years.

‘Life expectancy improvements continue to be sluggish, but worryingly healthy life expectancy isn’t keeping pace. People can now expect to spend more of their life in poor health than at the turn of the decade. This is a stark reminder that we cannot take the improvements we have come to expect in our health over the past century for granted.

‘Good health is essential for people’s wellbeing and with it their ability to take a full part in their family, social and working life. Action must be taken to reverse these trends if we are to ensure a more prosperous future for the nation.

‘Whichever party takes office later this week will need to make the long term investments necessary for people to stay healthy in the first place. This will require a shift in the balance of spending towards services such as early years, youth and public health, as well as housing and social security, so that everyone is able to lead healthier lives.’

Media contact

Diana Mackie
Diana.Mackie@health.org.uk
020 7257 8039