Children are hard-wired to feel immortal, researchers say. Growing up does not make contemplating death much easier. But when curiosity or retirement planning dictates, statisticians — and official calculators — can provide an expert view. Despite a dismal decade for advances in longevity, many will be surprised by their life expectancy — and the very real chance of living to 100.
In the century to 2011, UK life expectancy increased by nearly three years every decade. That reflects astonishing advances in safety and health. Although women still outlive men by nearly four years, the gap has been gradually closing over the past 50 years as men smoke less and cardiovascular treatments improve.
However, these improvements have been tailing off since 2011. While a boost for public finances and life insurers, this may be a worrying sign of increasing deprivation. Worse, Covid-19 turned back the clock for male life expectancy at birth. The most recent projections put it at 79 years, seven weeks less than reported in 2015-2017.