Scotland’s life and healthy life expectancy: Key facts and figures  – SPICe Spotlight

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Scotland has the lowest life expectancy and healthy life expectancy (HLE) in the UK and the lowest life expectancy in Western Europe.  Life expectancy and HLE data help us understand not just how long people live, but also the quality of those years, indicating how long someone can expect to live in good health. This blog post dives into the key insights on Scotland’s life expectancy and HLE, how they compare to the rest of the UK, and explores the impact of deprivation.  

Life expectancy  

Life expectancy is the average number of years someone is expected to live from birth. It is calculated based on the average age of death among people with similar characteristics, such as current age group, sex, and where they live. How long someone is expected to live from birth is an important way to identify and compare trends in death rates across different populations, regions within a country and between nations. Examining these patterns provides valuable insights into the overall health and wellbeing of a country’s population, as well as pinpointing specific areas or groups where certain factors are leading to shorter lifespans.  

The figures in this blog post come from the most recent data reported by the National Records of Scotland (NRS). The NRS is due to release updated HLE data in July 2025 and life expectancy data in October 2025.  

Healthy life expectancy  

HLE is closely related to life expectancy. It is the average number of years that someone can expect to live in good general health, based on self-reported health status in the Annual Population Survey (APS). For example, while someone may live to the age of 75, they might begin experiencing long-term health issues from the age of 55, spending the final 20 years of their life in poorer health. In this case, their HLE refers to the number of years (55) they were predicted to live in good health before these conditions emerged.  

HLE is determined for different populations by combining estimated life expectancy with health data from the APS. While life expectancy estimates how long populations might live, HLE provides broader insights into the overall health of a population. It reflects the proportion of individuals within a population who report they are in good health at a given age.  

Both life expectancy and HLE are important factors for understanding and addressing health inequalities. They help to inform pension policies and highlight areas where public services could be directed to improve quality of life and better public health. For example, if HLE data reveals that a specific group is likely to face poor health from a certain age, health policies can prioritise improving their wellbeing to delay or reduce these challenges. Additionally, this data helps to predict when extra support, including financial assistance, may be needed for certain groups.  

Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in Scotland 

Life expectancy and HLE varies for males and females across different parts of the UK.  

Gender differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy  

There are consistent sex differences observed in life expectancy and HLE data. Generally, males have a shorter life expectancy and HLE compared to females.  

In recent years, the gap in HLE between males and females in Scotland has narrowed significantly. While HLE has declined for both sexes, the rate and timing of this decline have been more pronounced for females. As a result, females now have a smaller difference between life expectancy and HLE, indicating that although they typically live longer than males, they spend more years in poor health.

Ageing Scotland: Stalled improvements in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy

Between the early 1980s and early 2010s, life expectancy in Scotland had been steadily increasing, with female life expectancy improving by almost 10 weeks per year and male life expectancy increasing by 16 weeks per year. These increases corresponded with improvements in working and living conditions, as well as declines in deaths from circulatory diseases. However, since 2012-2014, this trend has stalled in Scotland, while mortality from other causes has risen, particularly dementia, Alzheimer’s, and drug related deaths. While similar trends have been observed in other countries, this has been particularly pronounced in Scotland.  

Life expectancy also declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2017-2019 and 2020-2022, life expectancy fell by 7.3 weeks per year for females and 10.6 weeks per year for males. Although there has been a slight recovery since then, current estimates remain below pre-pandemic levels.  

Additionally, HLE has also been declining for both males and females in Scotland at a faster rate than overall life expectancy, indicating that individuals are now living a greater proportion of their lives in poor health. These developments have important implications for public spending on healthcare, waiting times, and the strain on public health services dedicated to managing long-term health conditions.  

Data from the Scottish Fiscal Commission shows that while Scotland’s population is projected to grow slightly, the country is experiencing an ageing demographic shift. As the proportion of older residents increases, the number of working-age people contributing economically through income tax is expected to decline. This reduction in the workforce could result in lower tax revenues, posing long-term challenges for government spending and funding for public sector services and pension systems for future generations.  

The impact of deprivation  

Life expectancy and HLE vary significantly across regions, largely influenced by differing socioeconomic conditions. 

People living in the most affluent areas of Scotland tend to live longer and maintain good health for a greater proportion of their lives. In contrast, those living in the most deprived areas are more likely to die prematurely and spend over a decade longer in poor health. Between 2021 and 2023, the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas in Scotland was 10.5 years for females and 13.2 years for males. The disparity in HLE is even more pronounced, with gaps of approximately 24 years for females and 23 years for males. This means that people living in deprived areas spend a much smaller proportion of their lives in good health.  

High levels of deprivation significantly impact the life chances of individuals living in these areas. Residents in more deprived communities are disproportionately affected by both physical and mental health problems compared to those in more affluent regions. Deprivation and poverty also hinder educational attainment and limit access to stable employment opportunities, reducing the likelihood of individuals’ ability to break the cycle of poverty. These interconnected disadvantages contribute to poorer life expectancy and health outcomes.  

Between 2021 and 2023, life expectancy was highest in East Renfrewshire, an area among the least deprived in Scotland with very few SIMD data zones falling in the most deprived categories. Life expectancy was lowest for both females and males in Glasgow city, an area of Scotland with approximately 45% of its data zones falling into the most deprived 20% category.  

While disparities in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas in Scotland improved during the 2000s, this gap has been widening again since 2011. Life expectancy improvements for people in the wealthiest regions has slowed, but the rate of improvement has stalled for men in the most deprived areas and even reversed for women in those areas. This means that, on average, by the time people living in the most deprived areas have died, people in the most affluent areas are generally only just beginning to experience poor health. 

Life expectancy and HLE also differs significantly between people living in rural areas and those living in urban cities, with those in rural areas generally experiencing longer life expectancy and higher HLE. Between 2021-2023, the gap in life expectancy between individuals living in rural areas and those living in urban cities areas was 2.6 years for females and 3.4 years for males. However, while many rural areas report less deprivation, they often face ‘hidden deprivation’. This includes challenges such as limited access to essential healthcare services and difficulties with housing affordability, which can significantly impact quality of life for those living in rural areas. 

In Scotland’s Population Health Framework, published on 17 June 2025, the Scottish Government committed to improving overall life expectancy in Scotland while reducing the life expectancy gap between residents living in the most deprived 20% local areas and the national average by 2035.   

Ageing  

The ageing process plays an important role in shaping both life expectancy and HLE. While ageing is an inevitable part of life, scientific research is beginning to uncover new ways to support individuals in ageing well and even slow some of the physical changes that contribute to many age-related health conditions. Exploring new strategies to promote healthy ageing could not only extend life expectancy but also improve overall health and HLE – helping people to live longer while enjoying more active, fulfilling years of life. 

The latest Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Annual Report 2024-2025 identified healthy ageing as a key priority. It highlights the broader societal benefits of promoting healthy ageing and emphasises the important contributions of older people to local communities, particularly through volunteering, childcare and unpaid care.  

Annamae Burrows, Trainee Researcher, SPICe & Lizzy Burgess, Senior Researcher, SPICe

Andrew Aiton, Data Visualisation Manager

Blog Image: “Grandpa” by conorwithonen is licensed under CC BY 2.0.