THE 20 YEAR GAP (2018)

Whilst life expectancy has risen in the UK, the onset of age-related disability has not receded as quickly. The future could see us living for longer in poor health, becoming dependent on medical support and care - a ‘medicalised vision’ of later life. The burden of ill-health is not shared equally across the country. In 2017 there was a gap of just over 20 years between the highest and lowest number of years a person can expect to live without a limiting persistent illness or disability. 

Working with the head of data science at Nesta, Cath Sleeman, I developed The 20 Year Gap to draw attention to these scenarios of ageing. The installation shows the average life expectancy (amber bottles) and disability free life expectancy (blue bottles) in 216 local areas across the UK. The gap between amber and blue bottles shows the length of time people in different places will experience ill-health; the vertical distance between amber bottles shows the inequality in health across the UK. In Richmond-upon-Thames the average individual could expect 71 years of good health; in Blaenau Gwent the number falls to 50 years.