UK Healthy Life Expectancy Declines by Over Two Years in Past Decade

Healthy life expectancy in the UK, defined as the number of years individuals can expect to live in good health, has fallen by more than two years over the past decade, according to a Health Foundation analysis. The decline has been greater for women than for men. Among 21 high-income countries, the UK has dropped from 14th to 20th place, with only the US ranking lower.

A girl born in Hartlepool can expect 51.2 years of good health, compared to 70.3 years in Richmond-upon-Thames. Women in the poorest areas can expect approximately 30 years of life in poor health, while those in the most affluent areas expect around 13 years. In Wales, female healthy life expectancy decreased by 3.7 years over the decade.

the Decline for Women are 29 percent more likely than men to be unpaid carers and almost twice as likely to provide 35 hours or more of unpaid care per week. Forty-two percent of carers report that their physical health has suffered due to providing care, and 74 percent report stress and anxiety.

Seventy-eight percent of social care staff are women, and women comprise about 59 percent of minimum-wage workers, often in sectors like care, cleaning, hospitality, and retail. These jobs frequently involve shift work, zero-hour contracts, physically demanding tasks, and exposure to violence, with limited sick pay or flexibility.

Women wait an average of nine years for an endometriosis diagnosis, and the waiting list for gynaecology appointments is nearly 250,000. Two percent of UK health research funding is allocated to reproductive health and childbirth, while maternal mortality is at its highest level in 20 years.

Government Response Health Secretary Wes Streeting launched a women's health strategy on April 15, pledging to address medical misogyny and the gaslighting of women. The strategy includes £5 million in additional investment, compared to £8 million for a men's health strategy announced in November. The £1 million allocated for menstrual education in schools equates to about £300 per state secondary school.

The £5 million for a maternity care bundle averages around £42,000 per trust, and the £2.6 million for osteoporosis scanners will purchase approximately 33 machines, with two-thirds replacing outdated ones. No ring-fenced funding is provided for gynaecology despite the backlog.