The number of years a woman can expect to live in decent health has stalled for the first time due to the rising prevalence of dementia, according to a Government report.

British women now have a healthy life expectancy - the number of years of good health - of 63.9 years, less than the 64.1 years enjoyed between 2009 and 11.

Whilst this is currently the same as for men, the new analysis by Public Health England shows that in contrast to women, male healthy life expectancy has continued to improve over the same period.

The disparity forms part of a wider picture showing British women to be among the sickest in Europe, compared to British men who fair relatively well.

Women from the UK ranked 18 lowest of out 28 EU countries for premature death, whereas UK men were ranked 10th.

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are now the leading cause of death among women, amounting for 15.8 per cent of deaths, and experts believe the impact of the disease in damaging life expectancy has doubled in the last seven years.