Over one in three men in England die before 75 as government launches first men’s health strategy
Experts warn millions of English men are still dying earlier, living sicker, and asking for help less, despite growing awareness of the men’s health gap
London, Thursday 2nd April 2026 — More than a third of men in England died before their 75th birthday in 2024, according to the government’s Men’s Health: A Strategic Vision for England — the first national strategy dedicated specifically to improving men’s health outcomes[1]. Underlining the scale of the country’s widening men’s health gap at a pivotal moment for policy and public awareness. Yet despite growing awareness of the men’s health gap, too many English men are still dying earlier, living sicker, and asking for help less, according to leading men’s health experts at Androlabs.
The government’s men’s health strategy, published in November 2025, is the first national strategy dedicated specifically to improving men’s health outcomes. The landmark move signals a long-awaited shift, placing men’s health firmly on the political agenda after years of concern about declining outcomes. Yet while the strategy represents a significant step forward, it also brings into sharper focus a more fundamental issue: a growing disconnect between what medicine already understands about men’s health and what is happening in everyday clinical practice.
According to official figures from the Office of National Statistics[2], men in the UK live nearly four years fewer than women on average (79.1 years compared with 83.0 years), while healthy life expectancy for men has fallen by 1.7 to 1.8 years over the past decade, according to data released by the ONS in February 2026[3]. The ONS also reports that men can expect to live just 60.7 years in good health — meaning many spend more than a fifth of their lives in poor health.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently described the decline in healthy life expectancy as “a warning siren we can no longer ignore,” reinforcing the urgency behind the government’s intervention.
International comparisons add further weight to the issue. The UK now ranks only 27th globally for life expectancy, highlighting that this is not just a domestic challenge, but one that risks placing the country behind its peers[4].
Together, these trends point to a critical “why now?” moment: awareness of men’s health has never been higher, yet outcomes continue to worsen, suggesting that recognition alone is not enough to drive meaningful change.
A diagnosis gap in men’s health
“One of the clearest manifestations of this challenge is a persistent diagnosis gap,” said Charlie Bryant, CEO and Co-founder of Androlabs, the first global pharmaceutical company dedicated exclusively to men’s health. “Many conditions affecting men remain under-recognised, under-discussed or identified too late, limiting opportunities for early intervention and effective treatment.
“The government’s new strategy for men’s health in England is a hugely positive step forward. But acknowledgement alone is not enough. Across healthcare, we still see a significant gap between what we know medically and what is happening in practice. Many men are living with symptoms without recognising what could be causing them, and many conditions are simply not being identified early enough.
“The reality in 2026 is that too many English men are dying earlier, living sicker, and asking for help less. And for years, the healthcare system has simply accepted that as normal. We did not. Androlabs was built on the belief that men’s health deserves the same focus, investment and urgency as any other area of medicine. The government’s strategy is a landmark moment, but industry has a responsibility to lead, not just follow.”
This gap is compounded by behavioural patterns in how men engage with healthcare. NHS England data shows women account for nearly 58% of outpatient appointments compared with around 42% for men[5], with men more likely to access care later, when conditions may already have progressed.
Prof. Channa Jayasena, professor of reproductive endocrinology & andrology at Imperial College London, said: “Many men are reluctant to talk about health problems, particularly those affecting reproductive health. As a result, conditions such as male hypogonadism are frequently overlooked and diagnosed late, despite their significant impact on wellbeing and long-term outcomes. Improving awareness, earlier diagnosis and access to evidence-based care is essential to address this gap in men’s health.”
From recognition to action
For Androlabs, the publication of the government’s strategy represents more than a policy milestone. It is an opportunity to close the gap between awareness and action.
The company believes that improving outcomes will depend not only on recognising the scale of the issue, but on enabling earlier diagnosis, increasing understanding of overlooked conditions, and encouraging men to engage with their health sooner.
As part of this effort, Androlabs has focused on creating new ways to engage men in conversations about health, hosting The Men’s Health Podcast, featuring experts within the field of science and healthcare to help raise awareness and build knowledge in men’s health. Last year, Androlabs launched The Brothers’ Arms — a pop-up men’s health pub designed to spark discussions around mental health, heart health and urological conditions in a relaxed and familiar environment.
“Men often feel more comfortable talking about personal issues in familiar environments,” Bryant added. “If we want to improve health outcomes, we need to meet men where they are and create spaces where these conversations feel natural rather than clinical. As the national conversation around men’s health gains momentum, the challenge now is to ensure that increased awareness translates into earlier diagnosis, better engagement with healthcare services and, ultimately, improved outcomes.
“Without that shift, the gap between what is known about men’s health — and what men actually experience — will continue to widen.”
Key Facts: Men’s Health in the UK
- 36% of men in England died before the age of 75 in 2024 (HM Government, Men’s Health Strategy for England, 2025 – footnote 1, above)
- Men live nearly four years fewer than women on average (79.1 years vs 83.0 years) (Office for National Statistics, National Life Tables UK 2022–2024 – footnote 2, above)
- Healthy life expectancy for men has fallen by 1.7 to 1.8 years in the past decade (Office for National Statistics, Healthy life expectancy, UK: between 2011 to 2013 and 2022 to 2024 – footnote 3, above)
- Men’s healthy life expectancy is now just 60.7 years, meaning many men spend more than a fifth of their lives in poor health (Office for National Statistics, National Life Tables UK 2022–2024)
- The UK ranks only 27th globally for life expectancy (House of Commons Library, Health of Men and Boys Research Briefing, 2025)
About Androlabs
Androlabs is the first global pharmaceutical company dedicated exclusively to men’s health.
Its mission is to close the male life expectancy gap and improve health outcomes for men worldwide.
Globally, men have a shorter life expectancy than women and are more likely to die prematurely from preventable causes. Many conditions affecting men remain underdiagnosed, under-treated or overlooked, as outlined in the UK Government’s 2025 men’s health strategy, Men’s Health: A Strategic Vision for England.
Androlabs works to address this by:
- Increasing knowledge and shining a light on overlooked men’s health issues.
- Challenging stereotypes and creating an environment where men are comfortable being vulnerable.
- Aiming to provide products and services that help improve the overall wellbeing of men.
- Standing up and advocating for every man.
