Deaths
Numbers of deaths registered by cause.
Data
Deaths
Description
Deaths are generally counted on the basis of the area of usual residence of the deceased if that is in Scotland, otherwise they are counted on the basis of the place of death. However, a death may be allocated to the deceased's former area of residence, if that is in Scotland and the deceased had lived at his/her usual residence for less than 12 months.
Metadata
| Theme | Population |
|---|---|
| Organisation | National Records of Scotland |
| License | UK Open Government Licence (OGL) |
| Published | |
| Last updated | |
| Next update | 1 Sep 2026 |
| Update frequency | annual |
| Reference period | 1999 to 2024 |
| Geographic coverage | Data Zones, Intermediate Zones, Community Health Partnerships, Health Board Areas, Council Areas, Electoral Wards, Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies, Country |
| Contact | statisticscustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk |
Data quality
Completeness
Statistical information about deaths and other vital events is available in alternative formats, such as tables and reports, from the vital events pages on the NRS website..
Uniqueness
Not assessed
Consistency
These figures are on a different basis from the vast majority of NRS published statistics of deaths, which are based on the calendar year in which the death was registered. The "mid-year to mid-year" basis is used only in connection with population estimates and projections.
Timeliness
This dataset will be updated annually, typically in early autumn.
Validity
Not assessed
Accuracy
The UK Statistics Authority has designated NRS vital events statistics as National Statistics, in line with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics [(available on the UK Statistics Authority website).]
Quality management
Information about the quality management process for deaths data are available on the NRS website..
Additional details
Revisions
In February 2019, we updated our methodology for allocating datazones to higher geographies to align with Government Statistical Service Geography Policy. This resulted in revisions to some aggregated figures at Electoral Ward and Scottish Parliament Constituency level.
Confidentiality policy
This dataset does not contain any sensitive or personal information.