“Today’s data shows that wealth is becoming an increasingly important factor in healthy life in old age, with men in the most deprived areas facing health challenges 15 years earlier than those in better off areas. These are the same people that face a struggle to maintain an adequate level of living in old age. We know that people are still contributing far too little of their salary to pension savings, and often we are seeing that those who do save are not getting the best deal when it comes to turning savings into income. ABI mandatory Code of Conduct on retirement choices goes some way to ensuring the insurance industry does its part, but people will benefit from professional financial advice which considers how best to organise and decumulate pension and housing assets to meet the challenges faced in later life.”
The key findings of the ONS health data included:
• From birth, the number of years lived without a limiting longstanding illness or disability (LLSI) decreased between 2003-06 and 2007-10 for males and females; the greatest decrease occurred in the most deprived areas.
• Inequality in life expectancy (LE) and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) between the least and most deprived areas in England grew between 2003-06 and 2007-10 for males and females at birth and at age 65.
• At birth, males in the least deprived areas in 2007-10 could expect to live about 15 more years disability free than males in the most deprived areas, for females it is almost 13.5 years.
• A greater increase in absolute inequality was seen for females than for males at birth and at age 65 between 2003-06 and 2007-10.
• Due to increasing LE and decreasing DFLE between 2003-06 and 2007-10, men and women at age 65 in the most deprived areas could expect to live less than half of their remaining years disability free in 2007-10, down from more than half in 2003-06.
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