Here are the latest credible updates on healthy life expectancy (HLE).
UK data: Fresh ONS figures show a continuing decline in healthy life expectancy across the UK for the 2022–2024 period, reaching historically low levels and widening regional gaps. Male and female HLE at birth are around the low 60s, down several months to years since the previous period, indicating more years lived in poorer health than in earlier years. These trends are part of a broader pattern of the pandemic’s long-term effects on population health.[1][2]
Global context: The World Health Organization reports slower gains in global health and that COVID-19 disrupted progress on life expectancy and healthy life expectancy. The 2025 World Health Statistics highlights a notable dip in HALE (healthy life expectancy) due to increased mental health burdens and non-communicable disease risk factors, even as some regions see modest improvements in overall survival.[6][9]
UK and policy implications: Health foundations and public health groups argue that the observed declines reflect preventable risk factors and inequality. They call for stronger investment in public health, prevention, and lifestyle interventions to close gaps and extend healthy life years, particularly for vulnerable groups.[2][4]
Related indicators: National statistical offices emphasize that measuring HLE adds nuance beyond life expectancy by capturing the quality of health during years lived. This local-level understanding helps planners allocate resources to areas with the largest expected gains in healthy years.[5]
Illustration: A concise takeaway is that, in many high-income settings today, people can expect fewer extra years in good health even as overall life expectancy rises, underscoring a need for preventive health measures, healthier lifestyles, and health system resilience to extend healthy years.[1][6]
If you’d like, I can pull the most current national figures for your country or region (e.g., UK, Portugal) and summarize them in a brief chart. Also, I can compare healthy life expectancy trends across several high-income countries to show where progress is being made or lagging.
In just two years, between 2019 and 2021, life expectancy worldwide fell by 1.8 years – the largest fall in recent history according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
news.un.orgHealthy life expectancy is an important measure to understand not just how long people are living, but how long they are living in good health, at national and local level. It could be for example tha
blog.ons.gov.ukMetric gives fuller picture than life expectancy, which is simply how long people live, says Health Foundation
www.theguardian.comThe latest edition of the World Health Statistics released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic reversed the trend of steady gain in life expectancy at birth and healthy life expectancy at birth (HALE).
www.who.intNew figures show that our 'healthspan' has decreased since the pandemic. So what can we do to increase our chances of a robust old age?
www.goodhousekeeping.comMen and women will see their health decline when they reach their late 50s, the council says.
www.bbc.co.ukYears spent in good health have dropped to their lowest level since comparable data were first collected in 2011 to 2013, with stark regional gaps across the UK.
www.medscape.comAuthor: RSPH 19 February 2026 1 min read The data should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to address the drivers of ill health. The latest data published today by the Office for National Statistics shows that healthy life expectancy is down by seven months at a national level, the lowest level since 2013. Healthy life expectancy refers to the average number of years a person born today would expect to live in good health. A man born in the UK today can expect to spend 18 years of their...
www.rsph.org.ukWHO published its World health statistics report 2025, revealing the deeper health impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on loss of lives, longevity and overall health and well-being.
www.who.int