Odainn

What are women aged 85–89 in the United Kingdom most likely to die from?

For an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom, the most likely causes of death over the next 10 years are dementia & Alzheimer's, heart failure & other heart disease and stroke — together 43% of the risk. The chance of dying in the next 12 months is 8.9% (1 in 11); over 10 years it is 83%.

Next 12 months
8.9%
1 in 11
Next 10 years
83%
about 8 in 10
Life expectancy
93
about 6 more years on average
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Dementia & Alzheimer's27%
    22% chance over 10 years · lifetime 27%
  2. 02Heart failure & other heart disease8.6%
    7.2% chance over 10 years · lifetime 8.7%
  3. 03Stroke7.2%
    6.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.2%
  4. 04Heart attack & coronary heart disease6.7%
    5.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.7%
  5. 05Pneumonia & flu6.4%
    5.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.5%
  6. 06High blood pressure & other circulatory disease4.8%
    4.0% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.8%
  7. 07Other digestive disease4.2%
    3.5% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.1%
  8. 08COPD & chronic lung disease3.8%
    3.2% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.7%
  9. 09Other causes3.3%
    2.8% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.3%
  10. 10Other lung disease3.2%
    2.7% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.3%
Show the other 34 causes25% together
  1. 11Other cancers3.1%
    2.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.0%
  2. 12Falls2.5%
    2.1% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
  3. 13Breast cancer1.9%
    1.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  4. 14COVID-191.9%
    1.6% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  5. 15Colorectal cancer1.9%
    1.5% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  6. 16Lung cancer1.7%
    1.5% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
  7. 17Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)1.7%
    1.4% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
  8. 18Diabetes1.6%
    1.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
  9. 19Leukaemia & lymphoma1.2%
    0.97% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%
  10. 20Kidney disease1.1%
    0.92% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%
  11. 21Parkinson's disease1.0%
    0.86% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.0%
  12. 22Pancreatic cancer0.72%
    0.60% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.69%
  13. 23Uterine & ovarian cancer0.71%
    0.59% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.68%
  14. 24Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)0.69%
    0.57% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.66%
  15. 25Other accidents0.69%
    0.57% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.69%
  16. 26Bladder cancer0.47%
    0.40% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.46%
  17. 27Oesophageal cancer0.39%
    0.33% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.38%
  18. 28Liver cancer0.39%
    0.32% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.37%
  19. 29Kidney cancer0.27%
    0.23% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.27%
  20. 30Stomach cancer0.22%
    0.18% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.21%
  21. 31Melanoma (skin cancer)0.20%
    0.17% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.19%
  22. 32Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.19%
    0.16% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.18%
  23. 33Brain cancer0.12%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.11%
  24. 34Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)0.10%
    0.09% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
  25. 35Other mental health conditions0.08%
    0.07% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.08%
  26. 36Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.08%
    0.06% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.07%
  27. 37Cervical cancer0.06%
    0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.06%
  28. 38Road accidents0.04%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.04%
  29. 39Congenital conditions0.03%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  30. 40Suicide0.03%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  31. 41Accidental poisoning & overdose0.01%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.01%
  32. 42Alcohol use disorder<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  33. 43Drowning<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  34. 44Homicide<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%

Some of these risks are about mental health and substances. They are among the most preventable — if you or someone you love is struggling, call Samaritans on 116 123 — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for the United Kingdom (2023–2024), ONS, NRS and NISRA. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.
Embed this on your site

Free to use with the link back. The image updates when the data does.

These are averages. You aren't average.

Smoking, exercise, weight, alcohol and diet change these numbers. Get your personal numbers and the changes that give you the most years back — free.

Get your numbersTry another age
What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Based on NHS screening programmes, the NHS Health Check and the NHS vaccination schedule. Your doctor may suggest more, or sooner, depending on your health. Educational, not medical advice.

Compared with

Same age in other countries

Questions

What is the most common cause of death for women aged 85–89 in the United Kingdom?
Dementia & Alzheimer's: 27% of the risk of dying over the next 10 years for an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom, followed by heart failure & other heart disease and stroke.
What is the chance that an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom dies in the next year?
8.9% (1 in 11). Over the next 10 years it is 83% (about 8 in 10).
How long can an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom expect to live?
On average, to about 93 — around 6 more years, based on the United Kingdom's current death rates.
Which check-ups are recommended for an 87-year-old woman in the United Kingdom?
Blood pressure check; Flu vaccine; Pneumonia vaccine (pneumococcal). Based on NHS screening programmes, the NHS Health Check and the NHS vaccination schedule.
Can these risks be lowered?
Many of them, yes. Smoking, alcohol, activity and weight change these numbers a lot, and screening finds several cancers early. Odainn's personal numbers adjust the statistics for your own habits and rank the changes that give you the most years back. This is educational information, not medical advice.

Computed by Odainn from official ONS, NRS and NISRA mortality statistics for the United Kingdom (2023–2024) — how we calculate. Educational, not medical advice.