Projected principal period life expectancy at State Pension Age: by sex, 1981 to 2051
In recent years, Parliament has passed legislation raising the State Pension Age (SPA). Women's SPA will rise from 60 to 65 years between 2010 and 2020; then SPA for both sexes will rise to 68 by 2046.
In coming years, as life expectancies continue rising, the life expectancy gap between the sexes at SPA will narrow; and life expectancies at SPA will stabilise from 2021. Period life expectancy projections give women around 23 years of life expectancy at SPA in 2021 to 2051, compared with around 21 years for men.
Chapter 14 of Pension Trends looks at whether longer life expectancy is associated with longer 'health expectancy' in old age, allowing people to enjoy their retirement in good health. In 2005, men at age 65 had 16.9 years of life expectancy and 12.8 years healthy life expectancy, compared with 19.7 and 14.5 years respectively for women.
However, increases in healthy life expectancy between 1981 and 2005 were smaller than increases in life expectancy. If this trend continues, then as SPA rises, people will spend a greater part of their retirement in poor health.
There are inequalities in life expectancy estimates between social class groups based on occupation. If the current trends continue, those from the lowest social class groups may experience declining life expectancy at SPA in 2021 to 2051.
In 2005, life expectancy for men and women at age 65 was highest in England and lowest in Scotland. There were also differences in healthy life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy of people living in different parts of the UK. If these inequalities persist, the effects of a future rise in SPA in the UK as a whole will be felt differently by pensioners in different parts of the UK.
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