Something I assumed to be true was upended this week. I'd always taken it for granted that healthy life expectancy in the UK has been steadily climbing, but it turns out that's no longer the case.
A person born in the UK today can expect around 60 years in good health. After that, conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and respiratory illness become increasingly common. These following years are lived, but often in discomfort or disability. Apologies for being so bleak on a Sunday.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released figures earlier this year showing that healthy life expectancy fell between 2022 and 2024, down by seven months at a national level. This is the lowest it has been since 2013. Now, seven months doesn't sound like much, but as a population-wide shift it's significant, and the direction of travel is worrying.
Changes like this can be a reflection of societal decline. When the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, life expectancy fell sharply across the region. This was driven by poverty, the breakdown of social structures, and a collapse in public services. Similar links between societal upheaval and population health can be found in multiple occasions throughout history. Whether the UK's current decline reflects a deeper disruption is hard to say, but it's difficult not to draw comparisons.
It isn't the same story everywhere. In Sweden, healthy life expectancy has continued to rise in recent years, which suggests that decline is not inevitable. Closer to home, the picture varies enormously depending on where you live. The Health Foundation found a gap of 19 years in healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas of the UK. Nineteen years. That is a profound inequality, and one that has almost certainly widened with many years of austerity.
The solutions are not a mystery. Countries that invest heavily in public services, tackle poverty directly, and focus on preventing illness tend to have healthier populations for longer. A stronger welfare state, better access to mental health support, and a commitment to reducing inequality between regions would all make a difference.
👋 For the new joiners: I’m Suraj, also known as Dr Sooj - a primary care doctor & health content creator. I love navigating the complex world of health and wellness and breaking down complicated concepts.
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References:
The Health Foundation. Inequalities in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy [Internet]. London: The Health Foundation; 2023 Feb 15 [updated 2025 Feb 17; cited 2026 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.health.org.uk/evidence-hub/health-inequalities/inequalities-in-life-expectancy-and-healthy-life-expectancy
Office for National Statistics. Healthy life expectancy, UK: between 2011 to 2013 and 2022 to 2024 [Internet]. Newport: Office for National Statistics; 2026 Feb 19 [cited 2026 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/between2011to2013and2022to2024
Chakrabortty A. This is a life and death story for the UK – so why is it being brushed under the carpet? [Internet]. London: The Guardian; 2026 Mar 6 [cited 2026 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/06/uk-death-healthy-life-expectancy-decline-state
Royal Society for Public Health. New ONS data shows decline in healthy life expectancy across the UK [Internet]. London: Royal Society for Public Health; 2026 Feb 19 [cited 2026 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.rsph.org.uk/news/new-ons-data-shows-decline-in-healthy-life-expectancy-across-the-uk/
Haerpfer, C., Wallace, C., & Abbott, P. (2013). Health Problems and the Transition from Communism in the Former Soviet Union: Towards an Explanation. Perspectives on European Politics and Society, 14(4), 460–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/15705854.2013.772751