A third of babies 'will reach 100'

More than a third of babies born this year (35%) are expected to reach the age of 100, according to a new report by the Office for National Statistics.

The publication - What Are The Chances Of Surviving To Age 100? - said men and women who turn 65 this year have only a 10% and a 14% chance respectively of living to celebrate their century.

In 2012 there are expected to be 826,000 births - 423,000 boys and 403,000 girls. The report estimates that 135,000 (32%) of these men and 156,000 (39%) of these women could still be alive in 2112.

This year there will be 14,500 centenarians in the UK, a number which is expected to increase to 110,000 in 2035.

More than 95,000 people who reach 65 this year are expected to reach their 100th birthday.

Women have higher life expectancies than men at every age. The likelihood of a girl born this year reaching her century is estimated to be 39%. For boys the figure falls to 32%.

The estimated number of female centenarians has risen from 500 in 1961 to more than 10,000 in 2010, a figure which is projected to reach 71,000 by 2035 and 276,000 by 2060.

Men are also living from longer, although the numbers are far fewer than women.

There were an estimated 92 male centenarians in 1961 and just below 2,000 in 2010. There will be a projected 39,000 male centenarians by 2035 and 179,000 by 2060.