Life expectancy jump raises welfare concerns
New figures show that 20-year-olds are twice as likely to reach their 100th birthdays than their parents, leaving the State facing debilitating health and welfare bills.
A baby born this year is almost eight times more likely to reach 100 than one born 80 years ago, according to the figures issued by the Department for Work and Pensions.
A girl born this year has a one in three chance of reaching their 100th birthday, while boys have a one in four chance.
The figures, based on predictions by the Office for National Statistics, show that in 2066 there will be at least half a million people aged over 100.
The statistics highlight the increased pressure on the country’s finances, with Pensions Minister Steve Webb warning Britons will need to save more.
Mr Webb said: “These figures show just how great the differences in life expectancy between generations really are.
“The dramatic speed at which life expectancy is changing means that we need to radically rethink our perceptions about our later lives.
“We simply can’t look to our grandparents’ experience of retirement as a model for our own.
“We will live longer and we will have to save more.”
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