Atrial fibrillation deaths in the UK
The Office for National Statistics recorded 9,242 deaths in England and Wales in 2025 where the underlying cause was Atrial fibrillation and flutter (ICD-10 I48). That was 303 more than in 2024 (8,939). It is the highest yearly figure since 2001.
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 14.7 per 100,000 people in 2025, 45.5% higher than in 2013 (10.1). For men it was 15.3 and for women 14.2.
In 2025, 3,831 of the deaths were of men and 5,411 of women.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9,242 | 3,831 | 5,411 | 14.7 |
| 2024 | 8,939 | 3,683 | 5,256 | 14.6 |
| 2023 | 8,980 | 3,537 | 5,443 | 15.1 |
| 2022 | 8,757 | 3,464 | 5,293 | 14.9 |
| 2021 | 8,016 | 3,082 | 4,934 | 14.0 |
| 2020 | 7,580 | 2,925 | 4,655 | 13.4 |
| 2019 | 7,074 | 2,618 | 4,456 | 12.6 |
| 2018 | 6,917 | 2,530 | 4,387 | 12.5 |
| 2017 | 6,277 | 2,181 | 4,096 | 11.5 |
| 2016 | 6,096 | 2,117 | 3,979 | 11.3 |
| 2015 | 5,817 | 1,943 | 3,874 | 11.0 |
| 2014 | 5,404 | 1,744 | 3,660 | 10.3 |
| 2013 | 5,119 | 1,670 | 3,449 | 10.1 |
| 2012 | 4,899 | 1,592 | 3,307 | – |
| 2011 | 4,233 | 1,347 | 2,886 | – |
| 2010 | 3,734 | 1,098 | 2,636 | – |
| 2009 | 3,550 | 1,104 | 2,446 | – |
| 2008 | 3,336 | 983 | 2,353 | – |
| 2007 | 3,075 | 910 | 2,165 | – |
| 2006 | 2,928 | 852 | 2,076 | – |
| 2005 | 2,914 | 875 | 2,039 | – |
| 2004 | 2,828 | 861 | 1,967 | – |
| 2003 | 2,923 | 879 | 2,044 | – |
| 2002 | 2,875 | 867 | 2,008 | – |
| 2001 | 2,687 | 795 | 1,892 | – |
Age at death
Of the 9,242 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 93.5% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 6,423, was in the 85 and over age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2001: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 to 44 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 45 to 64 | 127 | 90 | 37 | 33 |
| 65 to 74 | 475 | 281 | 194 | 205 |
| 75 to 84 | 2,216 | 1,138 | 1,078 | 966 |
| 85 and over | 6,423 | 2,321 | 4,102 | 1,479 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 913 deaths from this cause in 2024 (374 men, 539 women).
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 289 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 157 in 2014.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 289 | 132 | 157 |
| 2023 | 280 | 107 | 173 |
| 2022 | 250 | 91 | 159 |
| 2021 | 233 | 86 | 147 |
| 2020 | 224 | 93 | 131 |
| 2019 | 213 | 82 | 131 |
| 2018 | 207 | 67 | 140 |
| 2017 | 190 | 72 | 118 |
| 2016 | 170 | 61 | 109 |
| 2015 | 156 | 58 | 98 |
| 2014 | 157 | 54 | 103 |
NHS figures for England
People on GP registers (England)
OHID's Fingertips tool gives “Atrial fibrillation: QOF prevalence” as 2.24% in England for 2024/25, covering 1,427,589 patients. The first figure in the series, for 2009/10, was 1.39%.
| Period | Per cent | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 2.24% | 1,427,589 |
| 2023/24 | 2.18% | 1,375,120 |
| 2022/23 | 2.13% | 1,329,458 |
| 2021/22 | 2.09% | 1,288,599 |
| 2020/21 | 2.05% | 1,243,503 |
| 2019/20 | 2.05% | 1,239,401 |
| 2018/19 | 1.98% | 1,174,959 |
| 2017/18 | 1.91% | 1,113,553 |
| 2016/17 | 1.84% | 1,065,569 |
| 2015/16 | 1.71% | 983,254 |
| 2014/15 | 1.63% | 926,551 |
| 2013/14 | 1.57% | 883,938 |
| 2012/13 | 1.52% | 849,407 |
| 2011/12 | 1.48% | 822,527 |
| 2010/11 | 1.43% | 791,174 |
| 2009/10 | 1.39% | 761,965 |
Source: OHID Fingertips, indicator 280 (NHS England) · data read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 134c3e60999ae829…
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 “Atrial fibrillation and flutter”, codes I48. Other conditions mentioned on a death certificate are not counted here.
Registration dates, the deaths left out, the age-standardised rate and the ONS's coding changes are explained under how these figures are compiled.
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Sources and receipts
ONS mortality extracts for codes I48, 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
35ec43ebdaf65473…· publisher's page
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