Release: Interim Life Tables, 2008-2010

Released: 29 September 2011 Next edition: 21 March 2013

All editions of this release

Contact

Julie Mills

Mortality and Ageing Analysis Unit

lifetables@ons.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)1329 444681

Categories: Population, Life Tables, Interim Life Tables, Life Expectancies, Ageing, Older People, Deaths

Frequency of release: Annually

Language: English

Geographical coverage: UK

Geographical breakdown: Country

Correction

11 October 2011

An error was identified in the calculation of the Estimates of the very elderly for females, England and Wales, 2008, originally published on 29 September 2011. This error has affected the estimates of the very elderly for the UK and the mortality rates in the 2008-2010 interim life tables for females at the oldest ages (from around 90 and older) in the UK, GB, England and Wales, England and Wales.

The data has been corrected. ONS apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Key points

The key points from this release are:

Life expectancy at birth in the UK has reached its highest level on record for both males and females.
A newborn baby boy could expect to live 78.1 years and a newborn baby girl 82.1 years.
The gap between male and female life expectancy has reduced from 6.0 years in 1980-82 to 4.1 years in 2008-2010.

In this release

Tables from 2000-2002 to 2008-2010 have now been revised. Please see the latest release for 2009-2011.

Interim life tables, which are produced annually for the UK and its constituent countries, give statistics on period life expectancy by age and sex. A ‘period’ life expectancy is the average number of additional years a person would live if he or she experienced the age-specific mortality rates of the given area and time period for the rest of their life. Each interim life table is based on the population estimates, births and deaths data for a period of three consecutive years. They are known as interim life tables since fully graduated life tables are also prepared every ten years, based on data around a census year. A guide to calculating interim life tables is available and gives a summary of the methodology used to produce these life tables.

These data are released to coincide with the Older People's Day 2011 statistical bulletin.

Other useful information

These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.