Healthy life expectancy decreasing in Scotland, data shows

The number of years a person can expect to spend in good health in Scotland is decreasing, according to new figures.

Data from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows a healthy life expectancy has been falling since the mid-2010s in Scotland.

The latest figures for 2022 to 2024 show healthy life expectancy is now 59.4 years for women, and 59.1 years for men.

Women have lost almost four years of healthy life expectancy and males three since 2014-16.

People living in the 10% most deprived communities spend much less time in good health, and have a lower life expectancy.

Women in these communities spend around 60% of life in good health, and males spend around two-thirds of their lives in good health – and have a life expectancy of 69.8 years.

In contrast, both sexes in the 10% least deprived communities can expect to spend more than 80% of their lives in good health.

The areas of Scotland where healthy life expectancy was lower than average for both sexes were North Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

The areas where healthy life expectancy was higher than average were Orkney Islands, East Renfrewshire, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire, East Dunbartonshire and City of Edinburgh.

Head of vital events statistics for NRS Phillipa Haxton said: “While life expectancy increased to around pre-pandemic levels for both females and males, healthy life expectancy has not increased.

“This means people are likely to be spending a greater proportion of their life in poor health than in previous years.

“The gap between the most and least deprived communities is even more stark for this measure than it is for life expectancy.”

The report also found life expectancy has not fallen as rapidly as healthy life expectancy over the same period, and has seen a small steady increase in recent years.

Public health minister Jenni Minto said: “We recognise that stubborn inequalities remain in some communities in Scotland. That is why we are laser-focused on tackling child poverty and introducing interventions to help people live longer, healthier lives.

“Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s driving mission and, thanks to our bold action, Scotland is the only part of the UK where relative child poverty rates fell in the last year.

“Our draft Budget announced wide-ranging proposals that will deliver impact on the causes of health inequalities – including £50 million per year for whole family support to help break the cycle of poverty, increases to Scottish child payment, £61 million to supercharge action on child poverty across the life of the next Parliament, an additional £40 million investment in sport and physical activity, and record funding for health and social care of almost £22.5 billion.

“We continue to take forward action to reform health services and to tackle population health challenges to address the root causes of health inequalities.”