Big variation in life expectancy

Babies in the south can expect to live longest

Babies born in Scotland have the average lowest life expectancy in the UK, latest figures show.

The Office for National Statistics figures for 2006-08 show males in Scotland can expect to live to 75 years, and females to 79.9 years.

In contrast, males in the south-east of England have the highest life expectancy, at 79.2 years, with females in the South West top at 83.1 years.

Life expectancy has improved in all areas between 1991-93 and 2006-08.

The biggest improvements were in London, which had increases of 4.9 years for males and 3.4 years for females.

The smallest increases were in Scotland for males (3.5 years) and in Wales for females (2.4 years).

LIFE EXPECTANCIES FROM BIRTH

Regions	Males		Females
	1991-3	2006-8	1991-3	2006-8
UK	73.4	77.4	78.8	81.6
England	73.6	77.7	79	81.9
North East	72	76.4	77.4	80.6
North West	72.4	76.3	77.9	80.6
Yorkshire and The Humber	73.1	77.1	78.6	81.3
East Midlands	73.7	77.8	79	81.8
West Midlands	73.2	77.2	78.7	81.6
East of England	75	78.9	80.1	82.7
London	73.3	78.2	79.3	82.7
South East	74.9	79.2	80.1	83
South West	74.9	79	80.3	83.1
Wales	73.2	76.9	78.8	81.2
Scotland	71.5	75	77.1	79.9
Northern Ireland	72.7	76.3	78.6	81.2

SOURCE: ONS

In the same period the gap between male and female life expectancy at birth narrowed in the UK - from 5.4 years in 1991-93 to 4.2 years in 2006-08.

In 2006-08 the widest gaps between males and females were in Northern Ireland and Scotland (4.9 years).

Across the UK, the average life expectancy at birth for males in 2006-08 was 77.4 years, up four years on 1991-93.

For females the UK average was 81.6 years, up 2.8 years on 1991-93.

In 2006-08, average life expectancy at age 65 for the UK was 17.4 years for males, up 3.2 years from 1991-93. For females it rose by 2.1 years to 20 years.

Locally, Kensington and Chelsea recorded the highest average life expectancy at birth - 84.3 years for males and 88.9 years for females.

Glasgow City was the area which recorded the lowest average life expectancy at birth - 70.7 years for men and 77.2 years for women.

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, said: "It's good to see life expectancy increasing across the UK - and that men are steadily catching up.

"But the north/south divide remains and seems to be largely linked with deprivation.

"To close that gap we must keep improving the way our most disadvantaged communities live, learn, work and play - all of which profoundly affect health."