United Kingdom — Life expectancy
Life Expectancy at Birth for United Kingdom, 1960–2024.
Life expectancy for United Kingdom was 81.4 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1960 to 2024. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 70.8 in 1963 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.21% per year.
United Kingdom ranks 42 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 19%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 80.0, so United Kingdom sits above it. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 0%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 25 of 58 economies; Channel Islands (81.2) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 14th of 215 in 1960 → 15th of 216 in 1970 → 23rd of 216 in 1980 → 27th of 217 in 1990 → 31st of 217 in 2000 → 31st of 217 in 2010 → 41st of 217 in 2020 → 42nd of 217 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2024
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 81.39 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 81.24 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 81.01 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 80.65 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 80.33 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 81.37 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 81.26 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 81.26 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 81.16 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 80.96 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 81.3 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 81 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 80.9 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 80.95 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 80.4 | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 80.05 | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 79.6 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 79.45 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 79.25 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 79.05 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 78.75 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 78.45 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 78.14 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 77.99 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 77.74 | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 77.39 | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 77.19 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 77.21 | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 77.09 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 76.84 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 76.89 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 76.39 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 76.43 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 76.08 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 75.88 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 75.58 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 75.38 | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 75.28 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 74.93 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 74.63 | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 74.78 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 74.38 | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 74.18 | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 74.03 | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 73.68 | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 73.28 | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 73.18 | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 73.22 | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 72.78 | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 72.72 | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 72.52 | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 72.32 | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 72.12 | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 72.27 | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 71.97 | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 71.72 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 71.72 | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 72.12 | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 71.57 | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 71.62 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 71.62 | +1.1% |
| 1963 | 70.83 | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 70.93 | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 70.88 | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 71.13 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Kingdom’s Life expectancy in 1961?
70.88 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are United Kingdom’s Life expectancy figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — years — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is United Kingdom’s Life expectancy growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +14.4% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 81.39; 2023: 81.24; 2022: 81.01; 2021: 80.65; 2020: 80.33. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.DYN.LE00.IN — Life Expectancy at Birth. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.