UK life expectancy compared with other countries
In 2024 the UK had the joint 24th-highest life expectancy of the 38 OECD countries with figures for that year: 81.4 years. The range ran from 75.3 years in Mexico to 84.4 years in Switzerland. The simple average across the 38 was 81.2 years, a difference of 0.1 years from the UK's figure.
The UK over ten years
From 2015 to 2024 the UK's figure was highest in 2024 (81.4 years) and lowest in 2020 (80.3 years).
The UK's figure was higher than the average in every year from 2015 to 2024.
In 2015 the UK ranked 20th of the 38 countries with a figure; in 2024 it ranked 24th of 38.
Two countries had a lower figure than the UK in 2015 and a higher one in 2024: Denmark and Slovenia.
How the World Bank measures it
The World Bank's life expectancy at birth is the number of years a newborn baby would live if the death rates of the year it was born applied throughout its life. It covers males and females together and is compiled mainly from the UN Population Division's World Population Prospects and national statistics offices.
Countries compared: The 38 member countries of the OECD. The table uses the latest year for which the UK and at least three-quarters of the countries the World Bank covers have a figure, so every value is for the same period.
Why this differs from the UK's own figures
The ONS's national life tables give life expectancy for males and females separately and average three consecutive years to smooth out year-to-year changes. The World Bank's figure is a single year for males and females together and is compiled largely from UN population estimates, so it differs slightly from the ONS's figures.
The UK's own latest figure, with its definition and release dates: Life expectancy at birth (UK).
Sources and receipts
Every value on this page was read from these addresses. The SHA-256 is the fingerprint of the file as downloaded, so a later change at the source can be detected.
- https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?format=json&date=2014:2026&per_page=20000
World Bank, World Development Indicators · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
c23c4fa421ef9984… - World Bank: World Development IndicatorsThe publisher's page for this data, indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Common questions
Where does the UK rank for life expectancy in OECD countries?
World Bank figures for 2024 put the UK 24th (joint) of 38, counting from the highest, at 81.4 years.
Which OECD country has the highest life expectancy?
Switzerland, at 84.4 years in 2024 (World Bank).
Which OECD country has the lowest life expectancy?
Mexico, at 75.3 years in 2024 (World Bank).
What is the OECD average life expectancy?
The simple average of the 38 countries with figures for 2024 is 81.2 years. The UK's figure is 81.4 years.
How has the UK's life expectancy changed since 2015?
World Bank figures give 81.0 years for 2015 and 81.4 years for 2024; the ten-year chart above shows the years in between.
Is this the same as the UK's official figure?
The ONS's national life tables give life expectancy for males and females separately and average three consecutive years to smooth out year-to-year changes. The World Bank's figure is a single year for males and females together and is compiled largely from UN population estimates, so it differs slightly from the ONS's figures.
More comparisons
- UK national debt compared with other countries
- UK GDP per head compared with other countries
- UK government spending compared with other countries
- UK tax revenue compared with other countries
- UK health spending compared with other countries
- UK house prices to income compared with other countries
Compare any two countries on GDP, inflation, unemployment, debt and life expectancy: country comparison tool.
These pages state each body's figures and the UK's position among them. They give no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.