FOI Ref: FOI/2022/4072
You asked
Please supply the following information:
1. In 2020, what was the average age in the UK of someone who died after testing positive for COVID-19 within the 28 day period.
2. In 2021, what was the average age in the UK of someone who died after testing positive for COVID-19 within the 28 day period.
3. The age of life expectancy in the UK.
We said
Thank you for your enquiry.
COVID-19 deaths within 28 days of a positive test
We are responsible for the production of mortality data for England and Wales, this is driven by information collected from the death certificate at death registration. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for statistics pertaining to Scotland and Northern Ireland. They can be contacted at foi@nrscotland.gov.uk and info@nisra.gov.uk respectively.
Our data is derived from the death certificate, using information received at the point of death registration. This is different to the data used by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) which records all deaths with a positive test within 28 days. Therefore, we do not hold the information requested.
The government's COVID-19 dashboard shows 'deaths within 28 days of a positive test'.
You can read a blog by Professor John Newton of Public Health England about the complexities of counting COVID-19 deaths and the different methods used.
However, we can provide data showing deaths in England and Wales due to or involving COVID-19 from the information taken from the death certificate. This is available in our Single year of age and average age of death of people whose death was due to or involved COVID-19 publication.
Life Expectancy in the UK
The following publication provides the number of years people are expected to spend in different health states in constituent countries and local areas of the UK: Health state life expectancies, UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk). The next publication is due 5 May 2022, which will include 2021 data.
National life tables: UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) provides period life expectancy by age and sex for the UK. Each national life table is based on population estimates, births, and deaths for a period of three consecutive years. Tables are published annually. The next publication is due in September 2022.
For further information on this publication, please contact Pop.info@ons.gov.uk.