For decades it’s been assumed that life expectancy in the UK is increasing all the time. How many youngsters assume they will live to be 100 or more? It’s one of the general expectancies people tend to have when living in a developed country with healthcare and good nutrition.
However, recent figures show that contrary to expectations, increases in life expectancy is actually decreasing in major western nations. And it’s decreasing the fastest in the UK.
UK falling behind
Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that the UK is at the bottom of the table of 20 major nations for improvements in mortality for those over 65.
Some slowdown has also been shown in other countries across North America, Australia and Europe, but the trends are particularly significant in the UK. The report shows what they call a “sharp increase” in UK deaths during 2015 and talks about the likelihood of worsening mortality rates in particular regions of the UK.
While public health experts blame poor care for the elderly population and heavy-handed cuts to social services, charities are asking for more investment into the UK’s care system.
Sharp decrease
The statistics show that for the five years between 2011 and 2016, average life expectancy for females over 65 increased by only one week per year in the UK. This is lower than previous figures show, where it increased by ten weeks every year. Similarly, life expectancy for men aged 65 and over, increased by 3.5 weeks per year, compared with a consistent run of 12-week annual increases during the previous six years. For both men and women, the figures for the UK between 2011 and 2016 showed the lowest improvement in life expectancy among every country tracked.
Figures also showed a dramatic and potentially concerning drop in the increase in life expectancy at birth. Only the US came out worse than the UK in this category. Improvements in male life expectancy dropped by 75% and for women by a massive 90%.
Consequences of austerity?
The ONS said that reasons for the UK’s recent sharp drop in life expectancy at birth was partly due to a relatively big increase in male life expectancy in the decade dating from 2001.
Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: “It’s deeply depressing that the rise in life expectancy among the over 65s in the UK is faltering and that we’re falling behind most other developed countries in this crucial respect. It’s hard to attribute precise cause and effect, but the fact we are seeing this trend at the same times as our health and care services are under such acute strain is surely more than a coincidence.
Others who think this dramatic drop in figures could be down to the long-term consequences of austerity measures include Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He has asked for investigation into the trends depicted by the ONS figures to properly ascertain their origin.
Shadow health minister Justin Madders is clear on why he thinks this has happened. He said: “This slowdown in improvements in life expectancy exposes the terrible effects of austerity policies imposed by the Government since 2010. It’s simply astonishing that the UK is now falling so far behind other countries.”
More research needed
There has also been a rise in conditions such as dementia. The chief scientific officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Dementia is the leading cause of death across the UK and we’ve continued to see the number of people dying from the condition rise in recent years. We must see a greater emphasis from government on funding research into dementia if we are to enable people to live in good health as they grow older.”
However, a government Department of Health and Social Care points towards other countries showing a similar (but lesser) trend as evidence that the cause lies somewhere other than cuts to funding: “These latest stats show that life expectancy is increasing, and we are committed to helping people live healthier lives. The recent trends in life expectancy and mortality in the UK are also evident in a number of countries across Europe, North America and Australia – we want to understand these changing trends, which is why we have asked Public Health England to review this. ”
James Turner, managing director of turnerlittle.com said: “While it can feel ‘obvious’ that these changes in the UK’s life expectancy figures are down to government cuts, it’s not that cut and dried. Clearly, the trend is apparent across Europe and in the US, which suggests there are some other contributory factors involved.
“There have been many political and economic changes over the last few years for Europe and the US that have had an impact on many factors, including life expectancy. It’s likely that with more research and understanding of the current trends, steps can be taken to improve the increase of life expectancy for people in the UK.”
About Turner Little
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