The challenge of longevity

Increased life expectancy and a growing ageing population have made the pursuit of healthy ageing a crucial policy to minimise health and social care costs, as well as maximise quality of life in later years (Chief Medical Office (CMO), 2023). The number of people aged ≥90 years has increased consistently; by 2019, almost one in every 100 people in the UK were aged ≥90 years, with improved male life expectancy, narrowing the gap between males and females reaching 90 years of age (Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2024). In 2022, the estimated population aged ≥90 years living in England and Wales grew a further 2.1% compared with 2021, and is now over half a million (550 835 people). Similarly, the population of centenarians (n=15 120) living in England and Wales has more than doubled since 2002 (ONS, 2024).