Life expectancy slightly lower for LGB+ people, ONS figures reveal
Life expectancy for people in England and Wales varies by sexual orientation, according to new experimental data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The analysis, published today, draws on answers to the 2021 Census sexual orientation question - the first time such data has been collected - and links these responses with death registrations over the following three years.
Although the differences are relatively small, the figures show that people identifying as LGB+ have a slightly shorter life expectancy at age 20 than those who describe themselves as straight or heterosexual. The ONS cautions that these disparities cannot be attributed to sexual orientation alone, as wider social and health factors are likely to play a significant role.
Greg Ceely, Head of Population Life Events at the ONS, described the new analysis as “the first time we have looked at how life expectancy can differ by sexual orientation”. He said the estimates show that people who identified as gay or lesbian had a slightly lower life expectancy than straight or heterosexual people, though he stressed that life expectancy is shaped by many factors and the analysis cannot determine whether sexual orientation itself is responsible for the differences.
Among men aged 20, those identifying as LGB+ were estimated to live an additional 59.4 years, compared with 60.7 years for men who identified as straight or heterosexual. For women aged 20, those identifying as LGB+ were expected to live another 63.0 years, slightly below the 64.0 years estimated for straight or heterosexual women.
Within the LGB+ group, the picture varies only modestly. Gay and lesbian men were estimated to have a further 59.3 years of life at age 20, and gay and lesbian women an additional 62.8 years. Bisexual men had an estimated 59.6 further years, with bisexual women expected to live another 62.9.
Because the sexual orientation question was only asked of people aged 16 and over, the ONS estimates life expectancy beginning at age 20. The organisation emphasises that these figures are experimental and produced using a different method from the standard UK life expectancy series. As a result, they may slightly overestimate overall life expectancy and should not be compared directly with regular official statistics.
Graham Robson
Criticism has grown over the ONS’s decision to exclude trans and non‑binary people from analysis - a move described by LGBTQ+ advocates as a serious and avoidable omission. Last month, ONS data revealed significantly higher mortality rates among LGB+ people, excluding trans people. Mental‑health charity MindOut said the choice “leaves a significant and unacceptable gap in national understanding”, arguing that without trans‑inclusive data it is impossible to address the full scale of health inequalities experienced across the wider LGBTQ+ population.
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