Want to live for longer? Have children and move to the Orkney Islands

A new study reveals how marriage, children and where we live can affect life expectancy and “good health” years.

·       The average life expectancy for UK men is currently 84.3 years, and 87.2 years for women.

·       Marriage was found to increase the life expectancy of men yet decreases it for women.

·       Not having children reduces the life expectancy of both men (82.9) and women (86 years).

·       The historic Islands of Orkney boast the highest percentage of “good health” years for both women (91.23%) and men (87.72%).

·       Further information can be found at: https://www.reassured.co.uk/life-expectancy-in-the-uk/ 

While the secret to eternal life may remain a mystery, a new study has revealed that any Brits wishing to live in good health for longer should have children and move to Scotland’s picturesque Orkney Islands.

The findings come from life insurance broker, Reassured, who analysed the latest life expectancy figures from the ONS¹ and then assessed how different lifestyle choices such as getting married, where you live, and even having children can all affect how long people live for.

Whilst the overall life expectancy for UK men is currently at 84.3 years, and 87.2 years for women, for married men this increases to 85.4 years (+1.1 years). However, for married women it drops to 86.2 years (-1 year), suggesting that when it comes to having a long life, women may be better off single.

Sara Davison, The Divorce Coach, believes it’s still worthwhile looking for love though, even if it could affect your life expectancy: “Love and connection is one of our primary needs, so it’s a vital ingredient for a happy and fulfilled life. They say that nothing worth having comes easy and a healthy relationship takes hard work, commitment, and a willingness to adapt and grow with your partner.”

Everything from education, to social interactions are said to influence overall health and quality of life, and marriage is not the only ‘big life event’ to make its mark on the nation’s life expectancy.

Whilst it is said that having a baby can be one of the most exhausting of life’s milestones, opting not to have a child can have a bigger impact. For childless men, the average life expectancy was 1.4 years less (82.9) than the national average, and for childless women it was 1.2 years less (86).

Location too played a role, with the Orkney Islands coming out on top as the place where both men and women can expect to enjoy the most years in ‘good health’. The small island is often described as being one of the most idyllic places to live in Britain.

Top 10 UK Places to Live for the Most ‘Good Health’ Years (men)

Top 10 UK Places to Live for the Most ‘Good Health’ Years (women)

Unfortunately, the outlook is not so promising in other areas of the UK. The place where Brits have experienced the lowest number of ‘good health’ years was the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool.

Looking at life expectancy overall, for those in the South East of England it’s a positive story, as men boast 85.6 years – the highest in the country – whilst women in the South East have an equally as impressive average life expectancy of 88.3 years.

Steve Marshall, Chief Executive at Reassured added: 

“Following what has been a year of much turbulence and uncertainty, many of us are likely to have spent at least some time re-evaluating what is truly important, whether it be our partner, the children, the grandchildren or the family home.”

“Life is often described as being short. But it’s fascinating to see how many elements of our everyday lives can impact these numbers, which is why we believe it’s so essential to cherish the moments we have with our loved ones, and to also ensure we have the necessary financial protection in place.”

“This is why we are so passionate about life insurance and the peace of mind it can help provide.”

Further information can be found here: https://www.reassured.co.uk/life-expectancy-in-the-uk/.