Breast cancer deaths in the UK
In 2025, 9,828 deaths registered in England and Wales had Malignant neoplasm of breast (ICD-10 C50) as the underlying cause, according to the Office for National Statistics. That was 85 fewer than in 2024 (9,913). Since 2001 the yearly figure has ranged from 9,693 (2021) to 11,654 (2001).
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 15.8 per 100,000 people in 2025, 19.8% lower than in 2013 (19.7). For men it was 0.2 and for women 28.8.
Men accounted for 66 of the 2025 deaths and women for 9,762.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9,828 | 66 | 9,762 | 15.8 |
| 2024 | 9,913 | 69 | 9,844 | 16.2 |
| 2023 | 9,995 | 82 | 9,913 | 16.7 |
| 2022 | 10,021 | 72 | 9,949 | 17.0 |
| 2021 | 9,693 | 72 | 9,621 | 16.7 |
| 2020 | 10,385 | 98 | 10,287 | 18.1 |
| 2019 | 10,147 | 66 | 10,081 | 17.9 |
| 2018 | 10,314 | 83 | 10,231 | 18.5 |
| 2017 | 10,219 | 72 | 10,147 | 18.6 |
| 2016 | 10,250 | 72 | 10,178 | 18.9 |
| 2015 | 10,266 | 75 | 10,191 | 19.2 |
| 2014 | 10,158 | 61 | 10,097 | 19.2 |
| 2013 | 10,230 | 86 | 10,144 | 19.7 |
| 2012 | 10,373 | 62 | 10,311 | – |
| 2011 | 10,397 | 69 | 10,328 | – |
| 2010 | 10,353 | 63 | 10,290 | – |
| 2009 | 10,440 | 66 | 10,374 | – |
| 2008 | 10,779 | 62 | 10,717 | – |
| 2007 | 10,727 | 87 | 10,640 | – |
| 2006 | 11,011 | 69 | 10,942 | – |
| 2005 | 11,076 | 82 | 10,994 | – |
| 2004 | 11,024 | 59 | 10,965 | – |
| 2003 | 11,286 | 67 | 11,219 | – |
| 2002 | 11,573 | 82 | 11,491 | – |
| 2001 | 11,654 | 80 | 11,574 | – |
Age at death
Of the 9,828 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 52.2% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 2,706, was in the 75 to 84 age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2001: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 to 44 | 427 | 0 | 427 | 734 |
| 45 to 64 | 2,495 | 11 | 2,484 | 3,404 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,780 | 16 | 1,764 | 2,386 |
| 75 to 84 | 2,706 | 20 | 2,686 | 2,888 |
| 85 and over | 2,420 | 19 | 2,401 | 2,242 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 965 deaths from this cause in 2024 (12 men, 953 women). In 2011 the figure was 1,041.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 965 | 12 | 953 |
| 2023 | 1,005 | 11 | 994 |
| 2022 | 952 | 3 | 949 |
| 2021 | 1,022 | 13 | 1,009 |
| 2020 | 974 | 5 | 969 |
| 2019 | 995 | 10 | 985 |
| 2018 | 1,001 | 8 | 993 |
| 2017 | 954 | 8 | 946 |
| 2016 | 1,029 | 9 | 1,020 |
| 2015 | 992 | 3 | 989 |
| 2014 | 976 | 10 | 966 |
| 2013 | 1,020 | 7 | 1,013 |
| 2012 | 1,071 | 8 | 1,063 |
| 2011 | 1,041 | 5 | 1,036 |
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 289 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 323 in 2014.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 289 | 3 | 286 |
| 2023 | 325 | 4 | 321 |
| 2022 | 299 | 0 | 299 |
| 2021 | 316 | 8 | 308 |
| 2020 | 313 | 2 | 311 |
| 2019 | 312 | 3 | 309 |
| 2018 | 327 | 3 | 324 |
| 2017 | 317 | 2 | 315 |
| 2016 | 314 | 0 | 314 |
| 2015 | 293 | 2 | 291 |
| 2014 | 323 | 2 | 321 |
NHS figures for England
New cancer cases (England)
OHID's Fingertips tool reports 233,645 new cases registered in England over 2015 - 19 combined (indicator “Cancer incidence: breast cancer”).
Source: OHID Fingertips, indicator 93235 (NHS England) · data read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 5717800878b3e786…
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 “Malignant neoplasm of breast”, codes C50. 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.
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Sources and receipts
ONS mortality extracts for codes C50, 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
6c64956a74e1375e…· publisher's page
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