Life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Life expectancy at birth, by sex was 79.36 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
79.36 years
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
40th
of 236 countries
All-time high
79.55 years
in 2019
All-time low
65.71 years
in 1951
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 79.36 years, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 79.55 years in 2019 and was at its lowest, 65.71 years, in 1951.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 40th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 66.24 years | — |
| 1951 | 65.71 years | -0.8% |
| 1952 | 66.83 years | +1.7% |
| 1953 | 67.12 years | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 67.41 years | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 67.37 years | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 67.59 years | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 67.61 years | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 67.79 years | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 67.92 years | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 68.04 years | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 67.81 years | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 67.83 years | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 67.71 years | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 68.41 years | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 68.36 years | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 68.28 years | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 68.93 years | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 68.56 years | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 68.47 years | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 68.7 years | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 69.05 years | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 68.83 years | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 69.01 years | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 69.22 years | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 69.51 years | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 69.53 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 70 years | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 69.94 years | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 70.06 years | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 70.51 years | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 70.85 years | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 71.03 years | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 71.27 years | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 71.68 years | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 71.61 years | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 71.82 years | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 72.21 years | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 72.34 years | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 72.58 years | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 72.84 years | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 73.08 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 73.51 years | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 73.44 years | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 74 years | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 73.92 years | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 74.22 years | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 74.57 years | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 74.71 years | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 74.87 years | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 75.38 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 75.69 years | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 75.84 years | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 76.06 years | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 76.62 years | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 76.9 years | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 77.1 years | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 77.34 years | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 77.53 years | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 78.01 years | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 78.34 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 78.76 years | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 78.95 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 78.99 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 79.23 years | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 79.04 years | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 79.19 years | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 79.28 years | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 79.25 years | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 79.55 years | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 78.36 years | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 78.72 years | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 79.1 years | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 79.36 years | +0.3% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 79.36 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.86 years, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 79.36 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 77.36 years, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 67.16 years | 65.71 years | 67.92 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 68.24 years | 67.71 years | 68.93 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 69.38 years | 68.7 years | 70.06 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 71.59 years | 70.51 years | 72.58 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 73.92 years | 72.84 years | 74.87 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.65 years | 75.38 years | 78.01 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.06 years | 78.34 years | 79.55 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.89 years | 78.36 years | 79.36 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Life expectancy at birth, by sex in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 79.36 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 79.55 years in 2019.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.71 years in 1951.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for life expectancy at birth, by sex?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 40th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, by sex rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.