6 November 2025: Supporting our systems report launch

6 November 2025: Supporting our systems report launch

• 1.
  Supporting our systems Addressingimmunosenescence and improving adult immunisation in Europe
• 2.
  About ILC • TheInternational Longevity Centre UK (ILC) is the UK’s leading authority on the impact of longevity on society • We combine evidence, solutions and networks to make change happen to ensure we all live happier, healthier and more fulfilling longer lives • We are a part of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance and co-ordinate the ILC Europe Network
• 3.
  Summary • Europe isageing – since 1960, the total population has grown 27%, yet the over-65 population has increased 181% • Demographic change is having an impact on our healthcare systems, economies and wider society • Immunosenescence – the gradual weakening of the immune system as people age – poses a challenge • Promoting healthier lifestyle choices and prevention are key to ensuring healthy ageing and better, longer lives
• 4.
  The Supporting oursystems report • Looks at 30 European countries – EU27, Iceland, Norway, and the UK • Data analysis and expert interviews have been collated to form policy recommendations • Key message: Europe is ageing, making immunosenescence more common: we need to adopt healthy ageing policies and increase prevention to meet the health and socioeconomic challenges of weakened immune systems
• 5.
  By 2030, Europewill have as many older adults as children EU27, Norway, Iceland &UK combined population projection (UN Data Portal Population Division) The number of over-65s in Europe has grown from 40.5 million in 1960 to 113.7 million in 2024. By 2030, the over-65 population will match that of children and young adults (under-24s). The number of working-age people (25-64) has also started to fall, presenting socioeconomic challenges.
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  Healthy ageing inEurope is split along East-West lines Healthy life expectancy (HLE) at birth varies drastically between Eastern and Western Europe. Someone born today in Italy can expect to live 73 years in good health, while in Bulgaria, it’s just 63 years. This gap highlights the profound geographical health challenges facing Europe: people are not ageing well equally. HLE at birth (years) (WHO, 2021)
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  Healthy ageing hasworsened since COVID-19 Eastern Europe has seen a big fall in HLE versus pre-pandemic levels – 628 more days in ill health compared to 2017. Bulgaria lost 3.05 years, while Sweden’s HLE increased by 0.14 years (+51 days). HLE at birth (years) compared to 2017 (WHO, 2021)
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  Flu vaccination coverageis also divided Low flu vaccination in Eastern Europe is also compounding healthy ageing efforts. Only a handful of countries across Europe reach the WHO’s 75% coverage target. The average flu vaccination coverage rate in people aged 65 and over in 2022 was just 47.2% – meaning around 60,000,000 older people went unvaccinated. Flu vaccination coverage in older people in 2022 (%) (Eurostat (2025), UK Health Security Agency (2022), Public Health Agency. (2025), NHS Scotland. (2025), Public Health Wales (2022))
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  4 1 1 1 8 15 Age 45+ Age50+ Age 55+ Age 59+ Age 60+ Age 65+ Age-based recommendations are fragmented Inconsistencies in age-based vaccination recommendations make it harder to address immunosenescence. As of October 2025, 15 countries recommend flu vaccination at 65 years old, while 8 recommend it at 60 years old. Recent changes have been made in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania, where the recommendation has now been lowered to 45, in line with Austria. While a positive step, most countries still recommend flu vaccination at older age. Age-based recommendations for flu vaccination across EU27, Norway, Iceland & UK (ECDC, UKHSA)
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  Recommendations should alignwith healthy life expectancy The average flu vaccination recommendation age is 60. The average HLE at birth in Europe is 70. That means there is a ten-year gap between flu vaccine eligibility and when someone’s “healthy” life peaks. But in the majority of countries, this gap is smaller. This means that most adults are being recommended a flu vaccine at an age when immunosenescence may be more pronounced, by which point, their immune response to a vaccine might be lower. Gap between flu vaccination age recommendations and HLE (ECDC Vaccine Scheduler (2025), GOV.UK (2025), International Longevity Centre (2025)) 0.0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Austria Poland Romania Bulgaria Czech Republic Malta Spain Iceland Netherlands Portugal Germany Greece Estonia Italy France Cyprus Slovakia Sweden Luxembourg Norway Republic of Ireland Finland Denmark Slovenia Hungary United Kingdom Belgium Croatia Latvia Lithuania Flu vaccination recommendation/healthy life expectancy gap (years)
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  What needs tochange? • National governments should lower the current age recommendations for vaccination against the flu • Greater investment in vaccine research and technology is needed to reflect demographic health challenges • Health inequalities and vaccination access barriers must be addressed to improve uptake and health equity, including improved vaccination communication • European countries should spend 8% of their healthcare budgets on prevention