Life expectancy improvements are stalling across Scotland

Statistics published today by National Records of Scotland show that life expectancy improvements have stalled in almost all areas of Scotland, with many areas now experiencing decreasing life expectancy.

Key points:

• Life expectancy for those born in 2016-2018 was 77.0 years for males and 81.1 years for females.
• Healthy life expectancy for those born at the same time was 61.9 years for males and 62.2 years for females.
• Life expectancy has either stopped increasing or has  decreased in almost all council areas since 2012-2014.
• Males in the most deprived areas of Scotland could expect to live for 13.1 fewer years than those in the least deprived areas, while the equivalent gap for females was 9.8 years.
• Deprivation has an even bigger effect on healthy life expectancy with males in the least deprived areas spending 23.0 extra years in good health compared to those in the most deprived areas. For females, the healthy life expectancy gap was 23.9 years.

Paul Lowe, the Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland and Registrar General for Scotland, said:

“The new figures show that the stall in life expectancy growth which we have seen for Scotland as a whole is happening in almost all areas across Scotland. However, the rate of change varies amongst council areas with some slowing more than others and some showing falling life expectancy.

The figures also continue to show that those living in less deprived areas are expected to live longer, healthier lives than those in more deprived areas.”

The publication Life Expectancy for Scottish Areas, 2016-2018 and an Infographic are available on this website.