Public Health Liverpool

Age well

The focus of prevention in older age groups is around healthy active ageing and supporting independence, so older people are able to enjoy long and healthy lives, feeling safe at home and connected to their community.  

Key facts

  • In 2022, there were 75,846 Liverpool residents who were aged over 65 years (ONS, 2024), which represents a 12.6% rise over the last decade.
  • Since 2012, the largest increase in the older population has occurred in the 70 to 74-years age group (+23.7%) while the 85+ years cohort has risen by +11.7%.
  • Life expectancy in Liverpool in 2020 - 22 has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade, mainly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • On average, men born in Liverpool can expect to live to 75.3 years while women born in Liverpool can expect to live to 79.3 years, both significantly below the England average and the 2nd lowest out of the Core Cities after Manchester.
  • Mortality from COVID-19 has had an unequal impact on different population groups and exacerbated existing inequalities. In 2020/21 the life expectancy gap at birth between the richest and poorest quintiles in Liverpool has widened to 9.4 years for men, up from 9 years before the pandemic and to 8.7 years for women, up from 8.3 years before the pandemic.
  • Healthy life expectancy in Liverpool is significantly below the national average at 58.3 years in males and 57.9 years in females while the gap with England is 4.8 years and 6 years respectively.
  • Healthy life expectancy at 65 years stands at 8.4 years for males and 8.3 years for females, both significantly below national levels (10.5 years and 11.3 years respectively).
  • Falls are the largest cause of emergency hospital admissions for older people, and significantly impact on long term outcomes. In 2022/23, Liverpool had the 9th highest rate in the country for falls injuries among older people, with around 1,950 emergency hospital admissions annually.
  • Hip fracture is a debilitating condition – only one in three sufferers return to their former levels of independence and one in three ends up leaving their own home and moving to long-term care. In 2022/23, there were 535 people aged 65 and over who experienced a hip fracture. The Liverpool admission rate for hip fractures in older people is the highest in England (744 per 100,000 versus 558 per 100,000).
  • In 2022/23 there were 3,115 people diagnosed with dementia, which was significantly lower than nationally (0.5% versus 0.7%). It is estimated almost 2,000 people aged 65 and over are living with undiagnosed dementia.
  • The percentage of older people who are still at home 91 days after discharge from hospital into reablement services in 2021/22 was significantly above the England rate (90.9% compared to 81.8%).
  • The Census 2021 showed almost one in ten people aged 5 and over in Liverpool provide unpaid care (44,178 people), the highest level among the Core Cities and significantly above the England average (9.6% versus 8.8%).
  • Latest figures show deaths among older persons aged 85 and over in the city were 9.7% higher in the winter compared to the non-winter periods which is not significantly different to England (11.3%).

Liverpool information

Liverpool Equalities Dashboard

Liverpool City Region (LCR)

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities profiles