Healthy Life Expectancy is one of the clearest ways of Tracking how long people can expect to live in “good” general health, not just how long they live. In the UK, the latest Health Data for 2022–2024 shows a worrying pattern: even with slight improvements in overall longevity since 2019–2021, the healthy years have shrunk to the lowest point recorded since the series began in 2011–2013. That tension—longer Life Span, but fewer healthy years—has become a defining issue for modern Public Health and applied Epidemiology.
This Comparative Study follows a simple thread: imagine “Sam,” a 29-year-old professional trying to build a sustainable routine (walking meetings, home-cooked meals, strength training twice weekly). The numbers below help explain why personal habits matter, but also why postcode, region, and policy choices can tilt the odds long before motivation ever enters the picture. The insight that emerges is practical: healthy years are shaped by environments as much as by individual intent.
Healthy Life Expectancy in the UK: 2011–2013 vs 2022–2024
In 2022–2024, Healthy Life Expectancy at birth in the UK sat at 60.7 years for males and 60.9 years for females. Those values represent the expected number of years spent in “good” self-rated health, based on period estimates rather than a guaranteed outcome for any one person.
What makes this period stand out is the drop compared with the last non-overlapping period (2019–2021): -1.8 years for males and -2.5 years for females. Even more striking, the 2022–2024 results mark the lowest HLE level since the UK time series started in 2011–2013, a signal that the pandemic era left more than a short-term dent.
How “good health” translates into years and percentages
HLE is easier to grasp when paired with “share of life in good health.” For 2022–2024, males were expected to spend about 77% of life in good health, while females were expected to spend about 73%. The difference is a reminder that women often live longer but spend a larger slice of later life managing limiting health conditions.
That pattern is frequently discussed in gender health research, and it can be explored further through this related perspective on longevity gaps: gender differences in longevity and men’s health. The key takeaway is that “living longer” and “living well” do not automatically rise together.
Practical insight: when healthy years fall while total longevity edges up, health systems face rising demand for long-term support—an important planning issue for Public Health in 2026 and beyond.
UK constituent countries compared: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Across the constituent countries, the 2022–2024 snapshot shows clear differences. England recorded the highest HLE at birth for both sexes (60.9 for males; 61.3 for females). Scotland showed the lowest for males (59.1), while Wales showed the lowest for females (58.5).
Looking at “proportion of life in good health,” males in Northern Ireland were estimated to have the highest share (around 77%), while Wales sat at the lower end for both sexes (males around 76%, females around 71%). That difference matters because it hints at where prevention, early intervention, and local service design could pay off most.
A simple comparison table to make the pattern visible
The figures below summarise the national comparisons for 2022–2024 and help anchor the Comparative Study in something concrete.
| Area (2022–2024) | Male HLE at birth (years) | Female HLE at birth (years) | Notable point |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 60.7 | 60.9 | Lowest since 2011–2013 series began |
| England | 60.9 | 61.3 | Highest among UK countries for both sexes |
| Scotland | 59.1 | (Higher than Wales) | Lowest male HLE among countries |
| Wales | (Above Scotland) | 58.5 | Lowest female HLE; largest declines since 2019–2021 |
| Northern Ireland | (Comparable range) | (Comparable range) | Highest male share of life in good health (about 77%) |
Practical insight: country-level averages can hide what is really happening locally—so the next step is zooming into regions and local authorities where daily conditions shape health far more directly.
England’s regional divide: South East highs, North East lows
Within England, a consistent north–south pattern persists. The South East remained the region with the highest HLE at birth in 2022–2024: 63.0 years for males and 64.3 years for females. The North East remained lowest: 57.0 for males and 56.9 for females.
This gap has been remarkably persistent: the North East has been the lowest region in every period since the series began. For a person like “Sam,” moving from a high-HLE region to a low-HLE region is not just a change of scenery; it can mean different access to green space, job security, food environments, and preventive services.
Where did the declines hit hardest?
Compared with 2019–2021, HLE fell in every English region for both sexes, though some male changes carry more uncertainty at fine geographic levels. For males, the North West recorded one of the largest decreases (about -2.7 years).
For females, the declines were broad: HLE dropped by more than two years in every region except London. One surprising twist is that even high-performing areas were not protected: the South West, despite relatively strong HLE levels, recorded the largest fall among females (around -3.6 years).
Practical insight: high baseline health does not guarantee resilience; shocks like COVID-era disruption can erode healthy years across the board, even where averages look “good.”
The most actionable insights often appear at local level. In England, the highest HLE at birth in 2022–2024 clustered in London and the South East. Richmond upon Thames topped the list for both males (69.3) and females (70.3).
By contrast, the lowest HLE areas were more geographically scattered. Blackpool recorded some of the lowest values (males 50.9, females 51.8), alongside places like Hartlepool and Sandwell. Blackpool has remained the lowest for male HLE across the UK since 2016–2018, suggesting a long-standing structural challenge rather than a short-lived fluctuation.
A mini case study: two “Sams,” two trajectories
Consider two people with similar routines: both walk daily, cook at home, and sleep consistently. One lives in Richmond upon Thames; the other lives in Blackpool. Even with identical motivation, the second “Sam” is more likely to face headwinds: higher exposure to deprivation, different job strain, fewer health-promoting amenities, and a higher baseline burden of chronic disease in the community.
That is why Epidemiology treats place as a health exposure. The lesson is not fatalism, but focus: changing environments (housing, transport, access to prevention) can produce outsized gains in healthy years.
Practical insight: the largest wins often come from community-level shifts, because they improve health for everyone—not only for those already motivated.
Tracking change since 2019–2021: widespread declines and a widening gap
When the numbers are compared with 2019–2021, the pattern becomes hard to ignore: HLE fell in 83% of UK local areas for males and 88% for females. Declines appeared across every UK country, though Northern Ireland showed a more mixed picture.
The inequality story is just as important as the averages. The gap across UK local areas (measured between the 97.5th and 2.5th percentiles to avoid extreme outliers) reached 14.7 years for males and 15.8 years for females in 2022–2024. Since the onset of COVID-era disruption, spatial inequality has increased, with the gap widening compared with the pre-pandemic period.
Local change can be dramatic—up or down
Some places saw sharp swings. In England, Haringey showed one of the largest estimated drops (males about -7.3 years, females about -9.3 years), while Croydon posted notable increases (around +4.2 years for both sexes). Even historically high-performing areas can wobble; for example, Rutland saw large declines despite previously ranking strongly.
Elsewhere in the UK, examples included large changes in parts of Scotland and Wales, with especially steep falls in Merthyr Tydfil (males about -5.2, females about -6.8). These swings illustrate why careful Tracking is essential: local services can change, populations shift, and shocks do not land evenly.
Practical insight: healthy years are sensitive to local conditions, which means local leadership can also be part of the solution.
What drives Healthy Life Expectancy: practical levers for Public Health
HLE is not a single behaviour; it is the sum of exposures across decades. In day-to-day life, that often means cardiovascular risk, physical inactivity, smoking, poor sleep, chronic stress, and barriers to healthcare access. When those stack up, the “not good health” years arrive earlier and last longer.
For readers wanting practical prevention angles, these evidence-aligned resources connect lifestyle choices to longevity outcomes: how cardiovascular risk can shape long-term health and the benefits of regular physical activity. The useful framing is simple: small, repeatable habits may not change national statistics overnight, but they can change the slope of an individual’s health trajectory.
A focused checklist that maps to healthier years
The most reliable actions are the ones that are easy to repeat, measurable, and adaptable to different budgets and schedules. This set is especially relevant for adult health maintenance and long-run Life Span quality:
- Move daily (walking, cycling, short strength sessions): consistent movement supports metabolic and cardiovascular health.
- Build meals around fibre and protein: stabilises energy and helps maintain muscle with age.
- Protect sleep (regular timing, reduced late-night screens): sleep is a recovery tool, not a luxury.
- Track basic markers (blood pressure, waist circumference, resting heart rate): simple personal Health Data can reveal trends early.
- Make prevention social: routines stick better when tied to community, clubs, or family norms.
Practical insight: the best plan is the one that survives busy weeks—consistency beats intensity for long-term healthy years.
How the UK estimates are built: Sullivan life tables and uncertainty
Healthy life expectancy in the UK is estimated using a Sullivan life table, which blends mortality information (from death registrations and population estimates) with the prevalence of “good” self-rated health drawn from large surveys and adjusted using census information. It is a period measure: it reflects what would happen if the rates observed in that period held constant.
Because survey sample sizes have changed over time, recent outputs are labelled as official statistics in development, and estimates are presented with 95% confidence intervals to show uncertainty—especially important for smaller local areas. That is not a technical footnote; it is a reminder to interpret small-area “rankings” with care and focus on sustained patterns over multiple periods.
Why this matters in 2026 health conversations
In 2026, the UK conversation is no longer just about adding years to life, but adding health to those years. When HLE drops to the lowest level since 2011–2013 while overall longevity inches up, it increases pressure on primary care, social care, and families juggling work with caregiving.
This is where Public Health becomes tangible: active travel policies, smoke-free environments, improved housing quality, and better access to preventive screening are not abstract ideals—they are mechanisms that shift the population curve.
Practical insight: the healthiest societies treat prevention like infrastructure—quietly essential, always in use.
What is Healthy Life Expectancy and how is it different from life expectancy?
Healthy Life Expectancy estimates how many years a person is expected to live in ‘good’ self-rated health, while life expectancy counts total years lived. In the UK, recent periods show that total longevity can rise slightly even while healthy years fall.
What were the UK Healthy Life Expectancy figures for 2022–2024?
For 2022–2024, Healthy Life Expectancy at birth in the UK was estimated at 60.7 years for males and 60.9 years for females, representing about 77% and 73% of life spent in good health, respectively.
Which parts of the UK had the highest and lowest Healthy Life Expectancy?
At country level, England had the highest HLE for both sexes. Scotland had the lowest HLE for males, while Wales had the lowest for females. Within England, the South East was highest and the North East lowest.
How large is the inequality gap in Healthy Life Expectancy across local areas?
In 2022–2024, the gap across UK local areas (between the 97.5th and 2.5th percentiles) was about 14.7 years for males and 15.8 years for females, continuing an upward trend since the onset of the COVID-era period.
Why are the latest UK Healthy Life Expectancy estimates described as statistics in development?
Recent estimates rely on survey-based health prevalence measures affected by reduced sample sizes, so uncertainty is emphasised using 95% confidence intervals. The UK has also applied updated methods using census information to improve prevalence estimation for Healthy Life Expectancy outputs.