New data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) reveals stark disparities in life expectancy across Edinburgh, with residents in the poorest areas living up to ten years less than those in the wealthiest. The figures, broken down by Holyrood constituency, show that males born in Edinburgh Eastern—covering Craigentinny, Duddingston, and Northfield—have the lowest life expectancy in the capital at 75.6 years.
In contrast, females born in Edinburgh Western, which includes Queensferry, Gogar, and Ingliston, enjoy the highest life expectancy in the city. The gap between the lowest male life expectancy and the highest female life expectancy is eight years. Overall, life expectancy for men is lower than for women across Edinburgh.
The five worst life expectancies in the city are all for males: Edinburgh Eastern (75.6 years), Edinburgh Northern and Leith (which includes Pilton, Granton, and Trinity), Edinburgh Pentlands, and Edinburgh Southern. For women, the lowest life expectancies are in Edinburgh Northern and Leith and Edinburgh Eastern, both around 80 years.
Nationally, Scotland's life expectancy has fallen for the second consecutive year, now the lowest in the UK and western Europe. The average dropped by about three months for men (to 76.6 years) and two months for women (to 80.8 years). Julie Ramsay, Head of Vital Events Statistics at NRS, said: 'Life expectancy has decreased by more than 11 weeks for males and almost 8 weeks for females since 2018-2020.'
The report attributes the decline partly to Covid-19, but also to drug-related deaths and deaths from dementia and Alzheimer's. Life expectancy in Scotland had been increasing from the early 1980s until 2012-2014, when it plateaued and then began to fall.
