Centenarian Numbers in England and Wales Decline for First Time Since 2018

ONS data reveals a 0.5% drop in people aged 100 or older, with life expectancy and health service access cited as contributing factors.

The number of centenarians in England and Wales fell to 14,850 in 2023, a 0.5% decrease from 2022.
This marks the first decline in centenarians since 2018, with life expectancy dropping by 38 weeks for men and 23 weeks for women since 2019.
The post-First World War birth cohort, now aging and decreasing in size, has significantly impacted the centenarian population.
Women continue to outnumber men significantly among centenarians, with a ratio of 4.5 to 1 in 2023.
The number of people aged 90 and older reached a record high of 551,758 in 2023, though the growth rate has slowed.