Population-based estimates of healthy working life expectancy in England at age 50 years: analysis of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Analysis of survey and mortality data for 15,284 respondents found that from age 50 years, people in England are expected to spend an average of 9.42 years of their remaining life healthy and in work (29.7% of 31.76 years of life expectancy) and 1.84 years unhealthy and in work.
Source:
The Lancet Public Health
SPS commentary:
Subgroup analyses highlighted inequalities in healthy working life expectancy in England by socioeconomic status (captured through education level and area-level deprivation), and to an extent by occupation and region.
A commentary suggests that these findings make an important contribution to the debate around the practicalities and desirability of extending working lives, and are also highly relevant to the UK Government's stated goals to increase healthy life expectancy for all by 5 years and to reduce inequalities in health in later life. It calls for further research to inform policy to promote both healthy lives and sustainable working lives and highlights it will be important to monitor the impact of major events such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit on regional economies and how these events could in turn affect health and employment for older adults.