How this calculator works
Healthy life expectancy is the average number of years people spend in good health. In the UK, on 2022 to 2024 figures, it is 60.7 years at birth for males and 60.9 for females, well before State Pension age.
The calculator takes your age and sex and looks up two official ONS figures: life expectancy from the national life tables for the UK, and healthy life expectancy, the years spent in self-reported good or very good health. Healthy life expectancy is published for five-year age groups, so we estimate the ages in between in a straight line.
It then counts each year ahead as a summer, shades the ones typically spent in good health, and marks your State Pension age.
Healthy years ahead by age, UK
At 55, the average man in the UK can expect about 15.8 more years in good health and the average woman about 16.9, so good health lasts to around 71 to 72.
| Age | Healthy years ahead, male | Healthy years ahead, female | Years ahead, male | Years ahead, female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 22.7 | 23.7 | 35.9 | 39.1 |
| 50 | 19.1 | 20.2 | 31.4 | 34.5 |
| 55 | 15.8 | 16.9 | 27.0 | 29.9 |
| 60 | 12.8 | 13.9 | 22.8 | 25.5 |
| 65 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 18.7 | 21.2 |
| 70 | 7.6 | 8.4 | 15.0 | 17.1 |
Source: ONS, Healthy life expectancy, UK, 2022 to 2024, and National life tables, UK, 2022 to 2024.
Worked example
This is an example, not a real person. Alex is a 53-year-old man whose State Pension starts at 67.
- Healthy years ahead: about 17, so on average good health lasts to around 70.
- Life expectancy: about 29 more years, to around 82.
- After State Pension: on average, only about 3 years of good health fall after 67.
That is the thinking behind gliding rather than jumping: dialling down your hours in your 50s turns some of those healthy summers into free time while you still have them.
Questions people ask
What is healthy life expectancy in the UK?
For 2022 to 2024, the ONS estimates healthy life expectancy at birth in the UK at 60.7 years for males and 60.9 years for females. That is the average number of years a newborn could expect to live in good health on current rates.
How is healthy life expectancy different from life expectancy?
Life expectancy is how long people live on average. Healthy life expectancy is how many of those years are spent in self-reported good or very good health. The gap between them is the time people typically spend in poorer health.
How many healthy years does a 55-year-old have left?
On 2022 to 2024 ONS figures, a 55-year-old man in the UK can expect about 15.8 more years in good health and a 55-year-old woman about 16.9, so good health lasts to around age 71 to 72 on average.
Why does the age good health lasts to rise as you get older?
The number of healthy years ahead falls with age, but the age good health lasts to rises a little. That is because figures for older ages only include people who have already reached that age.
What does this mean for retirement planning?
For many people, good health on average runs out only a few years after State Pension age. That is a strong reason to think about when you want your time back, not only how much money you will have.
Averages, not predictions. These figures describe the UK population as a whole and are not a forecast for any individual. They are not medical or financial advice. If you have concerns about your health, speak to your GP.
Sources: ONS: Healthy life expectancy, UK (released 19 February 2026) · ONS: National life tables, UK (released 10 December 2025).
Reviewed on 7 October 2026 · How our tools work