Austerity policies and falling life expectancy in disadvantaged areas in Scotland: a pre-pandemic decomposition analysis

Previous decomposition analyses quantified the contribution of changes in age- and cause-specific mortality to the adverse changes in life expectancy observed in the UK since 2012. We extend those analyses by stratifying by socioeconomic deprivation. Between 2012–14 and 2017–19, changes in life expectancy were substantially worse in Scotland’s 20% most deprived areas. Negative impacts on life expectancy were found for most age groups and causes of death, reversing improvements between 2001–03 and 2012–14. This is consistent with the evidence of the role of UK Government ‘austerity’ policies in reversing previous health improvements among the UK’s poorest populations.