Accidental poisoning (including drugs) deaths in the UK
The Office for National Statistics recorded 4,784 deaths in England and Wales in 2025 where the underlying cause was Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances (ICD-10 X40 to X49). That was 152 fewer than in 2024 (4,936). The highest yearly figure since 2001 was 4,936 in 2024; the lowest was 850 in 2003.
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 8.0 per 100,000 people in 2025, 95.1% higher than in 2013 (4.1). For men it was 11.7 and for women 4.4.
In 2025, 3,426 of the deaths were of men and 1,358 of women.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,784 | 3,426 | 1,358 | 8.0 |
| 2024 | 4,936 | 3,419 | 1,517 | 8.3 |
| 2023 | 4,927 | 3,467 | 1,460 | 8.3 |
| 2022 | 4,403 | 3,035 | 1,368 | 7.5 |
| 2021 | 4,366 | 3,082 | 1,284 | 7.5 |
| 2020 | 4,080 | 2,898 | 1,182 | 7.0 |
| 2019 | 3,795 | 2,672 | 1,123 | 6.5 |
| 2018 | 3,814 | 2,758 | 1,056 | 6.5 |
| 2017 | 3,267 | 2,316 | 951 | 5.7 |
| 2016 | 3,187 | 2,304 | 883 | 5.5 |
| 2015 | 3,115 | 2,256 | 859 | 5.5 |
| 2014 | 2,794 | 1,965 | 829 | 4.9 |
| 2013 | 2,315 | 1,653 | 662 | 4.1 |
| 2012 | 1,991 | 1,407 | 584 | – |
| 2011 | 1,993 | 1,421 | 572 | – |
| 2010 | 1,523 | 1,076 | 447 | – |
| 2009 | 1,537 | 1,159 | 378 | – |
| 2008 | 1,429 | 1,034 | 395 | – |
| 2007 | 1,207 | 890 | 317 | – |
| 2006 | 1,072 | 749 | 323 | – |
| 2005 | 971 | 666 | 305 | – |
| 2004 | 957 | 665 | 292 | – |
| 2003 | 850 | 579 | 271 | – |
| 2002 | 944 | 663 | 281 | – |
| 2001 | 1,119 | 804 | 315 | – |
Age at death
Of the 4,784 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 2.8% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 2,262, was in the 45 to 64 age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2001: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 15 to 44 | 2,104 | 1,547 | 557 | 768 |
| 45 to 64 | 2,262 | 1,630 | 632 | 241 |
| 65 to 74 | 271 | 161 | 110 | 44 |
| 75 to 84 | 89 | 53 | 36 | 45 |
| 85 and over | 47 | 29 | 18 | 17 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 1,045 deaths from this cause in 2024 (712 men, 333 women). In 2011 the figure was 461.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,045 | 712 | 333 |
| 2023 | 1,161 | 807 | 354 |
| 2022 | 1,079 | 721 | 358 |
| 2021 | 1,328 | 939 | 389 |
| 2020 | 1,373 | 1,014 | 359 |
| 2019 | 1,260 | 889 | 371 |
| 2018 | 1,146 | 827 | 319 |
| 2017 | 923 | 647 | 276 |
| 2016 | 850 | 607 | 243 |
| 2015 | 663 | 472 | 191 |
| 2014 | 570 | 428 | 142 |
| 2013 | 510 | 374 | 136 |
| 2012 | 508 | 375 | 133 |
| 2011 | 461 | 341 | 120 |
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 274 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 68 in 2014.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 274 | 195 | 79 |
| 2023 | 169 | 111 | 58 |
| 2022 | 143 | 107 | 36 |
| 2021 | 195 | 143 | 52 |
| 2020 | 209 | 157 | 52 |
| 2019 | 174 | 128 | 46 |
| 2018 | 163 | 117 | 46 |
| 2017 | 143 | 110 | 33 |
| 2016 | 127 | 87 | 40 |
| 2015 | 140 | 100 | 40 |
| 2014 | 68 | 54 | 14 |
How the figures are defined
Each death is counted once, under its underlying cause: the disease or injury that started the chain of events leading to death, as certified by a doctor or coroner and coded by the ONS to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). This page uses the ONS grouping “Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances”, codes X40 to X49. Other conditions mentioned on a death certificate are not counted here.
The counting rules, the age-standardised rate and the ONS notes on changes in cause coding are described under how these figures are compiled.
Related answers
More in injuries and external causes
Sources and receipts
ONS mortality extracts for codes X40 to X49, with SHA-256 fingerprints; the ONS, NRS and NISRA workbooks are listed with the other sources.
- Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
6919fc2099f87071…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
67cfb1a3f220359c…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
9ba8668a67c75709…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
6d4050f6d732b785…· publisher's page
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