Life Expectancy
Life expectancy (from abridged tables) in years, at birth and for age groups
Data
Life Expectancy
Description
Life expectancy in years, at birth and for age groups, from abridged life tables. Breakdowns are also given for deprivation (SIMD) and Urban Rural classification.
Life expectancy refers to the number of years that a person could expect to survive if the current mortality rates for each age group, sex and geographic area remain constant throughout their life. This is referred to as 'period life expectancy' and does not usually reflect the actual number of years that a person will survive. This is because it does not take into account changes in health care and other social factors that may occur through someone's lifetime. However, life expectancy is a useful statistic as it provides a snapshot of the health of a population and allows the identification of inequalities between populations.
Further details are available on the NRS website
We are aware of issues with the full csv download for this dataset, due to its large size. For a copy of the full dataset please contact us at statistics.opendata@gov.scot.
Metadata
| Theme | Population |
|---|---|
| Organisation | National Records of Scotland |
| License | UK Open Government Licence (OGL) |
| Published | |
| Last updated | |
| Update frequency | annual |
| Reference period | 1991 to 2024 |
| Geographic coverage | Health Board Areas, Council Areas, Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies, Country |
| Contact | statisticscustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk |
Data quality
Completeness
Life expectancy data, reports and supplementary material is available on the NRS website
Uniqueness
Not assessed
Consistency
Time-series comparisons are currently appropriate at the council level.
The data zones included within each Urban Rural class and SIMD quintile change over time. Figures for 2023 and 2024 use Small Area Population Estimates for 2022 as estimates for 2023 and 2024 were not yet available at the time of publication. These figures will be updated to use the most recent SAPEs in the next update.
There are differences between complete life tables (calculated for single year of age) and abridged life tables (calculated for grouped ages). The Scotland level figures presented in this publication are calculated using abridged life tables to allow for comparison with the subnational figures. The definitive life expectancy estimates for Scotland are published in the national life tables on the NRS website . Time-series comparisons are currently appropriate at the council level.
Timeliness
The estimates are based on the mortality probabilities indicated by the death records for the three years prior to the date of publication. For example, the 2022-2024 estimates were published in December 2025.
This dataset will be updated annually, and the next update is expected to be in winter 2026.
Validity
Used in monitoring and investigating health inequality issues within Scotland, setting public health targets, informing pensions policy, research and teaching.
Accuracy
Life expectancy at birth is an estimate which is subject to a margin of error. The accuracy of the results can be indicated by calculating a confidence interval within which the true underlying life expectancy would be expected to lie.
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) have published research papers assessing the quality of the administrative data sources that are used in the production of mid-year population estimates.
Quality management
These data are quality assured by a statistician who was not involved in the publication. Health Board and Council Area level data were also compared against those produced by ONS.
The United Kingdom Statistics Authority (UKSA) has designated these 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 UKSA website). National Statistics status means that official statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value.
Additional details
Revisions
At the time of the 2022-2024 publication, estimates from 2009-2011 to 2021-2023 were revised to take account of the most recent updated population estimates.
Confidentiality policy
This dataset does not contain any sensitive or personal information.