British people are living longer with more passing 100 mark

Many Britons are living for longer, defying previous predictions by around six years

16:26 18 December 2012

Many people in Britain are living for longer than previously predicted, according to a new report. It is thought that individuals are beating the life span predictions by six years, with more reaching beyond the age of 100 than ever before.

 

The Office of National Statistics stated this week that the life span for a boy born in England and Wales in 2010 will be 79 years, whereas girls are expected to live for longer than that; reaching 83-years-old.

 

According to the report, the average age a male will reach will be 85-years-old, with women reaching four years older than this; living until the age of 89.

 

The findings suggest that babies born in 2012 will also see an increase in their life span expectancy.

 

Researchers for the Office of National Statistics made reference to the upper age limit, which relates to the idea of humans not being able to reach beyond a certain age.

 

The report states: “The information presented in this report suggests that in England and Wales an upper limit to lifespan has not yet been reached and that we will almost certainly see further increases in the average [age] at death.”

 

Some critics however, have mentioned that by Britons living longer lives their health problems could become more apparent. Also, there has been an emphasis placed on the fact that older people in the future will have to think about their financial situations.

 

With more people reaching the age of 100, longer live spans may mean that people will have to work for longer.

 

The age at which a person can retire has caused much controversy in the past, as the retirement age has been set back. This year Chancellor George Osborne reportedly said that to receive a state pension, the retirement age could reach 67-years-old in the next 16 years.

 

The UK’s population has risen by over 21million people in the last century, with there being five times as many people who are aged 65-years-old.