There were 15,120 centenarians (people aged over 100) in England and Wales in 2022 – an increase of 31% in a decade, according to new data issued by the Office of National Statistics in January 2024 and analysed by Rest Less, a digital community and advocate for people aged 50 and older.
Rest Less’s analysis shows that the number of centenarians has more than doubled in the past 20 years – up from 6,920 in 2002 – a 112% increase. Rest Less also found that 82% of the centenarians in England and Wales were female – an overwhelming majority but a reduction from 86% in 2012 and 89% in 2002.
Chart 1: Number of Centenarians in England and Wales, 2002-2022
Chart 2: Male and Female Centenarians, 2002-2022
Stuart Lewis, Chief Executive of Rest Less, commented on the analysis: “Thanks to continued medical advances and improvements in healthy living, becoming a centenarian is not as rare as it used to be: in 2022, a record 15,120 people in England and Wales received a birthday card from the King. If population estimates are anything to go by, this number is only set to increase which will have a remarkable impact on how we live and work.
Reaching 100 is an achievement which deserves to be celebrated but we think it’s important for attention to shift away from the age we are living to, towards the number of healthy years lived. Paradoxically, while medical advancements during the last century have resulted in an increase in life expectancy globally, this does not guarantee a healthy and disease-free lifespan.
With increasing numbers of us expected to live beyond 100 and evidence of growing inequality of ageing around the country, it’s important to do what we can to boost our own longevity and future quality of life. Small changes today can make a big difference to our personal ageing experience, both now and in the future – from taking daily exercise to staying socially connected, eating healthy and prioritising good quality sleep.”
Case study
Marion Bloom turned 100 last September. She lives in Harrow on the Hill in Greater London and lives independently but has a housekeeper and carers on a daily basis to help.
Marion says one of the best bits of reaching 100 is that her mental facilities are still intact and she is able to continue to learn which means she encounters younger people regularly.
Marion was married for 72 years and is a widow and has also lost many of her contemporaries but has a small and supportive family in the UK and a large family in Canada. She also enjoys connections with her religious community.
She says the most challenging thing about living to 100, as well as the physical deterioration that comes with old age, is learning to accept the many changes in life and having to conform to them. She also mentions the financial challenge amidst the current cost of living crisis.
Her tips to younger generations include working hard and learning that there is joy in a job well done. She says retirement can lead to ‘an agreeable existence but there is no need to hasten the day, particularly in present circumstances’. Perhaps most memorable amongst her advice is to ‘enjoy what there is to be enjoyed’.
Rest Less’s top tips for healthy ageing
- Eat mostly plants: according to the blue zones study, where a higher proportion of people live longer than anywhere else, people living in the blue zones eat diets that are 95-100% plant-based with seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans dominating their meals
- Don’t overeat: another commonality amongst the blue zones is that the people living there avoid overeating. In one blue zone, people practice the 80% rule – part of an ancient Chinese belief system that advocates that people stop eating when they’re 80% full
- Stay active: the world’s longest living people move without thinking about it – walking to the shops, tending to their gardens and doing manual work around their houses
- Find purpose: Based on the blue zones research, having a sense of purpose and meaning in your life can add seven years to your life expectancy. The blue zone residents in Japan call it Ikigai, and those in Costa Rica call it plan de vida. Both expressions translate to ‘why I wake up in the morning’.
- Drink alcohol moderately: While excessive alcohol consumption is linked with liver, heart, and pancreatic disease, as well as an increased risk of early death, moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of several diseases, as well as up to an 18% decreased risk of premature death.
- Nurture your social connections: Having just three social connections can reduce our risk of dying early by more than 200%, and many studies also show that having a strong social network can create positive changes in heart, brain, hormonal, and immune function, which, in turn, may reduce the risk of chronic disease.
- Prioritise your loved ones: Another striking factor from the blue zones study found was that centenarians put their families and loved ones first. Ageing parents and grandparents often lived with their children or else close by – which has been found to reduce disease and mortality rates in children too.
- Avoid stress: Chronic stress can seriously decrease your life expectancy. Men who are stressed are up to three times more likely to die early than their non-stressed counterparts – and women who suffer from stress are up to two times more likely to die from heart disease, stroke, or lung cancer.
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Notes to Editors
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About Rest Less
Rest Less (restless.co.uk) launched in early 2019 and is a digital community for people in their 50s, 60s and beyond. Rest Less is on a mission to help its members get more out of life and offers content guidance and resources on topics spanning Jobs and Careers, Volunteering, Learning, Money, Health and Lifestyle and Dating.