Life expectancy in Great Britain rises—but later years are still spent in poor health

People are living longer but the extra years are not lived in good health, show new data published by the Office for National Statistics.

Life expectancy in Great Britain increased between 1981 and 2001. Females born in 2001 can now expect to live an average of 80.4 years (versus 76.8 years in 1981) and males an average of 75.7 years (versus 70.9 years). Although women have also in the past had a longer …