Trend in life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by socio-economic position based on the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification, England and Wales, 1982—1986 to 2007—2011

21 Oct 2015 03:05 PM

Main findings

• The Slope Index of Inequality shows the gap in life expectancy at birth for males widened overall during the past 30 years from 5.6 years to 6.7 years; however, since 1997 to 2001, when it stood at 7.5 years, the gap has narrowed.
• The Slope Index of Inequality in life expectancy at birth for females widened from 3.8 years to 5.3 years and it was widest in 2007 to 2011.
• The improvement in male life expectancy at birth between 1982 to 1986 and 2007 to 2011 ranged from 7.1 years for the Intermediate class to 5.8 years for the Routine class; the Higher Managerial and Professional class gained 6.8 years.
• The improvement in female life expectancy at birth was smaller than that for males, ranging from 4.8 years for the Lower Managerial and Professional class to 3.3 years in the Lower Supervisory and Technical class.
• Despite significant growth in male and female life expectancy at birth across all classes during the past 30 years, the life expectancies of the Routine class in 2007 to 2011 were only similar to that enjoyed by the Higher Managerial and Professional class in 1982 to 1986.
• The widest gender difference in life expectancy at birth in 2007 to 2011 occurred in the Routine class, where females could expect to live 4.2 years longer than males and smallest in the Higher Managerial and Professional class (2.7 years).
• Men classified to the Higher Managerial and Professional class could expect to live a further 20.3 years from age 65, 5 years longer than in 1982 to 1986; women in the same class could expect to live a further 22.5 years, 2.8 years longer than in 1982 to 1986.
• Men classified to the Routine class could expect to live a further 16.4 years from age 65, 3.5 years longer than in 1982 to 1986; women could expect to live a further 19.4 years, 2.6 years longer than in 1982 to 1986.
• The largest gains at age 65 over the 30 year period were to the Higher Managerial and Professional class for men and to the Intermediate class for women.

Get all the tables for this publication in the data section of this publication.