Better health, more wealth . . you've never had it so good

THE Capital's residents have more disposable income than those in most of rest of the UK and are among the healthiest in Scotland, a new survey reveals today.

With spare cash of about 14,000 a year, residents have more money to spend on themselves than any other part of Scotland, and only lag behind the richest parts of London and South East England.

Fewer people in Edinburgh die from heart disease, cancer, strokes and respiratory diseases, than in the rest of the country.

And the council study published today found 66 per cent of people in the Capital class themselves as being in good health, compared to just 55 per cent elsewhere.

One of the reasons for this is that Edinburgh has a smaller percentage of smokers than the rest of the country - 22 compared to 28.

They also receive some of the best medical care - 94.1 per cent of Edinburgh doctors achieved a good-quality rating, compared to 92.5 per cent for Scotland.

The report, Edinburgh - A Statistical Summary, shows unemployment stands at just 2.4 per cent, well below the Scottish average, and the average income of 22,997 is among the highest in Scotland and above the UK average of 22,248.

But the city's overall prosperity is only serving to make life tougher for its poorest residents as the cost of living outstrips wages.

The study, commissioned by the council in a bid to shape future policy, also shows that high house prices are putting added pressure on low income earners.

Property prices have risen by 125 per cent in just eight years, more than double the growth of Scotland as a whole.

Buying an average home in the Capital now costs 177,000, compared to 95,000 in the rest of the country.

Despite the expensive property market in Edinburgh, experts do not expect demand to fall.

Kate Gillespie, of Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre, said:

"The end of the buy-to-let phenomenon has had an impact on the market - a lot of properties are being put on at a fixed price, instead of at offers over.

"Having said that . . . we would still advise people that investing in property in Edinburgh is always a good thing."

Councillor Sheila Gilmore, the city's housing leader, said the council wants to build more affordable homes to make it easier for people on lower incomes to get onto the housing ladder.

The comparison between house prices and people's income also gives a glimpse of the growing gulf between rich and poor.

Although just over ten per cent of residents live in deprivation, compared to more than 50 per cent in Glasgow, it means around 50,000 people are struggling to pay their way.

A total of 4.8 per cent of Edinburgh residents are on income support, although that is lower than the 5.8 per cent for the whole of Scotland.

Councillor Iain Whyte, the city's Tory leader, said:

"We must look at public regeneration and make sure the council does it better."

The city is also having to cope with more people living and working within its boundaries.

Edinburgh's population is continuing to grow, going against the general trend across Scotland, which has seen an overall dip in population year-on-year.

The city of Edinburgh now has 453,670 residents.

And despite the council's efforts to reduce the number of vehicles in the city centre, more than 60 per cent travel to work by car, either as a driver or passenger.

Councillor Whyte said that improvements in public transport had not matched the economic growth of the city.

Councillor Andrew Burns, the city's transport leader, admitted the prosperity of the Capital is presenting challenges to its public transport system. He said: "

We have strategies in place to help us cope. In the medium to long term, we plan to reintroduce trams, there's the on-going park-and-ride schemes and there's the parking review in the city centre, which is aimed at making sure when people do have to use cars they can be accommodated."