THE average life expectancy of a man in North Ayrshire now stands at 75.9 years – almost a year less than the average Scot.

But the average North Ayrshire woman can now expect to live to to 81 – just ahead of the national average.

This week, politicians slammed the disparity between better off areas – where men can expect to live to 80.5 – and poorer parts of the country, where both men and women die younger.

Life expectancy in Scotland is 76.8 years for males and 80.9 years for females. That’s a big leap in lifespan on the last survey carried out, but still the lowest in the United Kingdom.

Back in the early 80s, men could expect to live until the age of 69 and women to just over 75.

The latest figures from National Records of Scotland confirmed that people in the most deprived areas died sooner.

The local figures compared badly with the longest lived part of Scotland – East Dunbartonshire. There. the average man lives to 80.5 years and the average woman will die aged 83.9.

But they looked far better when compared with the worst area of Scotland for life expectancy, Glasgow, where men can expect to live to 73 and women to 78.5.

Central Ayrshire MP Brian Donohoe said the rise in life expectancy rates in Scotland was “good news for all of us”.

But he said the continual disparity between poor and well off areas was worrying.

The Labour MP said: “The figures show that we are living longer but the gap between poor and wealthy areas sadly remains.

“The key to better health is to deal with the underlying issues of economic inequality.

“Unemployment and a low-pay economy all have a negative impact on people’s health.

“The relentless grind of life at the bottom of the heap takes its toll on a person’s physical and mental well-being.

“We have to create jobs and improve working conditions if we want to see life expectancy in Scotland catch up with the rest of the UK.”