Life expectancy in the UK has reached its highest point ever, new statistics have revealed.
Baby boys born between 2014 and 2016 are expected to live 79.2 years, while girls have a life expectancy of 82.9 years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The results mean that males now have a 21% chance of living until at least 90, while females have an almost one-in-three shot (32%).
The results represent a slight increase from last year, when life expectancy was set at 79.1 years and 82.8 years for boys and girls respectively - the equivalent of an extra 4.2 weeks for males and 2.1 weeks for females.
Life expectancy by nation
While life expectancy may be on the rise in the UK, there is some significant variation between each of the four nations.
While men and women in England are expected to live 79.5 and 83.1 years respectively - the highest in the UK - predictions suggest that the average man and woman in Scotland will die around two years earlier.
Life expectancy in the UK
UK average:
Man - 79.2 years
Woman - 82.9 years
England:
Man - 79.5 years
Woman - 83.1 years
Northern Ireland:
Man - 78.5 years
Woman - 82.3 years
Wales:
Man - 78.4 years
Woman - 82.4 years
Scotland:
Man - 77.1 years
Woman - 81.2 years
Life expectancy in Scotland has been diverging from the UK average since 1980-82, with ONS pointing the finger at higher levels of heart disease, smoking and alcohol consumption as potential causes for the difference.
Drug-related deaths could also be to blame, the statistics agency said.
Life expectancy for over 65s
According to today’s statistics, men aged 65 in the UK can now expect to live another 18.5 years, giving them a life expectancy of 83.5.
Women of the same age, on the other hand, are predicted to live another 20.9 years, taking them to almost 86-years-old (85.9).
While mortality rates among the elderly have traditionally improved fairly rapidly due to changes in lifestyle and the treatment of disease, this year’s results - along with other recent years - suggest a slowing down in this.
Life expectancy at the age of 90 remained virtually unchanged compared to results released in 2016, with men expected to live another 4 years and women another 4.6.