Average life expectancy back up to 86.05 years in 2028

In 2028, the average 65-year-old will have another 21.05 years to live, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Wednesday. That brings the life expectancy to 86.05 years, back to the prognosis for 2021 level before the coronavirus pandemic lowered it.

Life expectancy in the Netherlands has been steadily increasing from the 1950s until the coronavirus pandemic hit. In 1950, the average 65-year-old could expect another 14.3 years of life. By 2019, that had increased to 20.1 years.

In the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the life expectancy of 65-year-olds dropped to 19.5 years. About 10 percent more people died in each of those years than expected due to the coronavirus.

According to the stats office’s current forecast, in 2028, life expectancy will be 1.0 years higher than in 2019 and 1.6 higher than in 2020 and 2021. Life expectancy for women is higher than for men. In 2021, the difference at age 65 was 2.6 years.

The government uses Statistics Netherlands’ life expectancy prognosis to determine the state pension age - how many years will the average person require a pension after retirement? Because the pandemic lowered life expectancy, the state pension age will remain stable at 67 years from 2024 to 2027. It is not yet clear whether the government will increase it again for 2028 now that life expectancy is back on the rise.