People in the United Kingdom are now spending more years in poor health compared to a decade ago, with healthy life expectancy falling below the state pension age in most regions. This sharp decline suggests that the nation's health is moving backwards, contrasting starkly with improvements seen in most other wealthy countries.
UK Ranks 20th Out of 21 Rich Countries
According to analysis by the Health Foundation think tank, the UK now ranks 20th out of 21 countries analysed for healthy life expectancy, which measures years lived free of illness or disability. In contrast, nations like Japan, Norway, and Sweden continue to see steady improvements in healthy life expectancy.
Declining Numbers
Healthy life expectancy for men has fallen from nearly 63 years a decade ago to 60.7 years in 2022-2024. For women, it dropped from 63.7 to 60.9 years. This means men now spend only 77% of their lives in good health, while women spend over a quarter of their lives in poor health.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that more than 90% of people in the UK now experience poor health before their 66th birthday, the current state pension age.
Root Causes: Obesity, Substance Abuse, and Inequality
The Health Foundation attributes the two-year drop to rising obesity rates, substance abuse, and poor mental health, but emphasises that socioeconomic inequalities are also key factors. Dr Jennifer Dixon, the think tank's chief executive, stated: "These findings reveal a stark truth – the UK's health is going backwards. The lights on the dashboard are flashing red."
The UK is now the most obese country in Western Europe, with mental ill health reaching unprecedented levels and more people living with chronic conditions. The report notes that the UK is one of only five countries where the situation is deteriorating, falling from 14th to 20th in the international league table. Only the United States has fewer years of good health.
Postcode Lottery in Health
Recent analysis highlights a stark postcode lottery: those in the most deprived areas die nearly ten years earlier than those in affluent areas. For example, girls born in Kensington and Chelsea, one of London's wealthiest boroughs, are expected to spend nearly 80% of their lives in good health, well above the national average of 73%.
The think tank notes that obesity is thought to be behind the recent surge in younger people developing cancer, as well as high numbers of deaths from substance abuse and suicide. However, entrenched economic inequalities also play a major role.
Covid and Ageing Not to Blame
Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic did not appear to contribute to the decline, nor did the UK's ageing population. "This suggests that the UK's deterioration is not inevitable, but reflects country-specific factors," the research team concluded.
Impact on Work and Sickness
Experts say these findings help explain why a record 2.8 million people are now classed as too sick to work, with more than 11 million sick notes issued by NHS staff in England last year. The leading documented cause was mental and behavioural disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which also affect younger generations, with growing numbers of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment, or training.
Government Response
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care labelled the findings a "disgrace," stating: "It is a disgrace that as a nation we became unhealthier over the last decade, which is why we are committed to tackling health inequalities and building a healthier Britain." The government hopes that measures such as a blanket ban on junk food advertising on TV before 9pm, a proposed ban on vaping in cars with children present, and the rollout of obesity medications will help "parents raise the healthiest generation of children ever."
However, Dr Dixon argues that successive governments, including the current one, have known about these issues but failed to take necessary action. "Turning the tide requires a new approach that goes far beyond patching up the NHS to tackling the root causes of poor health," she said.
