Healthy life expectancy in the UK has fallen by more than two years over the past decade, raising concerns about the sustainability of working lives and future pensions policy.
According to The Health Foundation, the UK is among the worst performers for declines in healthy life expectancy between 2012–14 and 2022–24, in contrast to improvements seen in most comparable economies.
The issue was raised in Parliament by the chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Debbie Abrahams, who questioned the implications of this for DWP spending. She noted that over a quarter of the increase in health benefits spending was due to those of pre-retirement age being unfit to continue to work to the new state pension age of 65 years.
This follows ONS projections that show the number of people aged 85 and over is expected to double to 3.6 million by 2049, while the number of pensionable age is set to rise to 15.3 million.
Abrahams said: “It is essential that DWP and DHSC work together to prevent this serious problem escalating, and that reforms in health benefits including in the health assessment process arising from the Timms Review, reflect the potential increase in demand from a population with declining health.
“It also amplifies the importance of The Mayfield Review and the work Charlie Mayfield is doing with businesses to keep people in work for as long as they can.”
