UK - UK life expectancy at 65 has reached its highest level ever for both men and women, the Office for National Statistics says.

It said: "Men aged 65 could expect to live a further 16.6 years and women a further 19.4 years if mortality rates remained the same as they were in 2003-05."

But within the figures were wide regional differences. The highest expectations of life at age 65 are in England at 16.8 years for men and 19.6 years for women. The lowest is in Scotland at 15.5 years and 18.4 years respectively.
 
Life expectancy at birth is also at its highest level for both males and females. Boys and girls born in the UK could expect on average to live to 76.6 years and 81.0 years of age respectively.

The ONS said: "The increase in life expectancy among older adults has been particularly dramatic in recent years.

"Between 1980-82 and 2003-05 life expectancy at age 65 in the UK increased by 3.7 years for males and 2.5 years for females. Around one-third of this increase occurred over the last five years. In general the increases in life expectancy over the same period have been broadly similar for each country.

People have the highest life expectancy in the wealthy London district of Kensington & Chelsea (82.2 years and 86.2 years for men and women respectively).

The lowest life expectancy is in Glasgow (69.9/76.7).

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