Glasgow City Region

Age-sex standardised death rates for Glasgow City Region

Mortality rates decreased in the period from 1991 to 2010 in all the Glasgow City Region local authorities. From 2010 onwards to 2019, mortality rates rose in Scotland and in all areas. In 2020, there was a further, sharp rise in mortality rates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which emerged in Scotland in early 2020. Mortality rates dropped slightly in the majority of areas in 2021.

Although in the last two years up to 2023 there has been regional variation in mortality rates, for Scotland overall the rate has remained fairly stable since 2020, with only a slight decrease.

The mortality rates of Glasgow are the highest in the Glasgow City Region. In previous years West Dunbartonshire had the second highest mortality rate, however, in 2023 mortality rates have been surpassed by Inverclyde. In contrast, East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire have consistently had the lowest mortality rates.  

There is now a large body of evidence detailing the unprecedented changes to mortality rates that have taken place in Scotland, and across the wider UK, in the past ten years. These trends, including increasing death rates among poorer communities and the end to decades of previously continual improvement at country level, predate the COVID-19 pandemic. For further information go to the GCPH website.

 Notes

Age-sex standardised mortality rates control for the age structure of populations and therefore allow comparison of mortality rates between different areas. 

More detailed data on deaths in Scotland can be accessed from National Records of Scotland.

Last updated November 2024.