Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference was -3.9 Years in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
-3.9 Years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
9th
of 41 countries
All-time high
-3.7 Years
in 2012
All-time low
-6.3 Years
in 1970
Years of data
49
1960–2024

Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1960–2024

-6-5-4196019922024

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Years.

Analysis

The most recent figure for life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is -3.9 Years, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 5.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at -3.7 Years in 2012 and was at its lowest, -6.3 Years, in 1970.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 9th of 41 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.

Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (male-female) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1960 to 2024.
Year Years Change
1960 -5.8 Years
1961 -5.8 Years -0.0%
1970 -6.3 Years +8.6%
1971 -6.2 Years -1.6%
1980 -6 Years -3.2%
1981 -6 Years -0.0%
1982 -5.9 Years -1.7%
1983 -5.9 Years -0.0%
1984 -5.9 Years -0.0%
1985 -5.7 Years -3.4%
1986 -5.8 Years +1.8%
1987 -5.7 Years -1.7%
1988 -5.7 Years -0.0%
1989 -5.5 Years -3.5%
1990 -5.6 Years +1.8%
1991 -5.5 Years -1.8%
1992 -5.4 Years -1.8%
1993 -5.3 Years -1.9%
1994 -5.3 Years -0.0%
1995 -5.2 Years -1.9%
1996 -5.1 Years -1.9%
1997 -5 Years -2.0%
1998 -5 Years -0.0%
1999 -4.9 Years -2.0%
2000 -4.8 Years -2.0%
2001 -4.7 Years -2.1%
2002 -4.7 Years -0.0%
2003 -4.4 Years -6.4%
2004 -4.4 Years -0.0%
2005 -4.3 Years -2.3%
2006 -4.3 Years -0.0%
2007 -4.2 Years -2.3%
2008 -4.1 Years -2.4%
2009 -4.1 Years -0.0%
2010 -4 Years -2.4%
2011 -3.9 Years -2.5%
2012 -3.7 Years -5.1%
2013 -3.8 Years +2.7%
2014 -3.7 Years -2.6%
2015 -3.7 Years -0.0%
2016 -3.7 Years -0.0%
2017 -3.7 Years -0.0%
2018 -3.7 Years -0.0%
2019 -3.7 Years -0.0%
2020 -4.1 Years +10.8%
2021 -4.1 Years -0.0%
2022 -3.9 Years -4.9%
2023 -3.9 Years -0.0%
2024 -3.9 Years -0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s -5.8 Years -5.8 Years -5.8 Years 2
1970s -6.25 Years -6.3 Years -6.2 Years 2
1980s -5.81 Years -6 Years -5.5 Years 10
1990s -5.23 Years -5.6 Years -4.9 Years 10
2000s -4.4 Years -4.8 Years -4.1 Years 10
2010s -3.76 Years -4 Years -3.7 Years 10
2020s -3.98 Years -4.1 Years -3.9 Years 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 6 Iceland -3.4 Years compare
  2. 7 Switzerland -3.5 Years compare
  3. 8 Denmark -3.7 Years compare
  4. 10 Australia -4 Years compare
  5. 11 Belgium -4.1 Years compare
  6. 11 Italy -4.1 Years compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Life expectancy — life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was -3.9 Years in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was -3.7 Years in 2012.
What is the lowest life expectancy — life expectancy difference recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was -6.3 Years in 1970.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for life expectancy — life expectancy difference?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 9th out of 41 countries with data for 2024.
Is life expectancy — life expectancy difference rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. 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 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (male-female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/life-expectancy-life-expectancy-difference-male-female/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy — Life expectancy difference (male-female)
Unit
Years
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
51 places, 3,074 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset presents data on life expectancy at birth, and at ages 40, 60, 65 and 80 years old. Please refer to the Sources and Methods for detailed country-specific information.