According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), life expectancy in England and Wales has risen to 79.0 years for males and 83.0 years for females for the period of 2021 to 2023. This marks an increase of 13 weeks for males and 11 weeks for females compared to 2020 to 2022, when life expectancy figures were 78.8 years for males and 82.8 years for females.
However, the report notes that life expectancy remains lower than before the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, compared to 2017 to 2019, life expectancy has decreased by 26 weeks for males and 13 weeks for females. The ONS has attributed this decline to increased mortality rates during the pandemic, which had a significant impact on life expectancy figures from 2018 to 2020.
Despite the current figures, the ONS has indicated that a lower period life expectancy does not mean that children born between 2021 and 2023 will have shorter lives, as mortality rates may change throughout their lifetimes.
Kerry Gadsdon from the ONS stated, “In the latter part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, we witnessed notable increases in life expectancy due to improvements in health, lifestyles, and working conditions. However, since 2011 these increases have slowed.”
Gadsdon further explained, “Period life expectancy figures are another way of showing the mortality rates in each period, so higher mortality during the coronavirus pandemic has led to lower life expectancy figures in 2021 to 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic period. As we move away from the pandemic, we are starting to see period life expectancy recover, but it remains to be seen if improvements overall will remain slow or increase into the future.”
This data underscores the enduring impact of the pandemic on mortality rates, alongside early indications of a recovery in life expectancy.
