ONS: Life expectancy falls across UK due to Covid

ONS national picture

Holly Roach
clock • 6 min read

The life expectancy for men across the UK in 2018 to 2020 fell by seven weeks, while for women the number rose by just 0.5 weeks, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Though life expectancies across the UK were "similar" to those in 2015 to 2017, the ONS said Covid-19 was the primary cause of the overall fall. The ONS' national life tables - published today (23 September) - show life expectancy at birth in the UK in 2018 to 2020 was 79 years for males and 82.9 years for females, representing a fall of seven weeks for males and almost no change for females compared to the three years prior. The tables, which look at trends in period life expectancy, also revealed life expectancy at age 65 years was 18.5 years for males and 21 years for females, whic...

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