COPD and chronic lung disease deaths in the UK
ONS figures give 30,421 deaths from Chronic lower respiratory diseases (ICD-10 J40 to J47) registered in England and Wales in 2025. That was 667 fewer than in 2024 (31,088). Since 2001 the yearly figure has ranged from 25,286 (2006) to 32,355 (2018).
The ONS table of leading causes of death for 2025 lists 6 causes for all ages over 1; Chronic lower respiratory diseases is 3rd, with 30,420 deaths, 5.4% of all deaths in that age range.
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 48.2 per 100,000 people in 2025, 17.9% lower than in 2013 (58.7). For men it was 54.2 and for women 43.7.
Men accounted for 15,088 of the 2025 deaths and women for 15,333.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30,421 | 15,088 | 15,333 | 48.2 |
| 2024 | 31,088 | 15,502 | 15,586 | 50.3 |
| 2023 | 32,106 | 15,908 | 16,198 | 53.1 |
| 2022 | 29,815 | 14,690 | 15,125 | 50.2 |
| 2021 | 26,155 | 13,091 | 13,064 | 45.1 |
| 2020 | 28,320 | 14,422 | 13,898 | 49.5 |
| 2019 | 31,221 | 15,498 | 15,723 | 55.1 |
| 2018 | 32,355 | 16,052 | 16,303 | 58.4 |
| 2017 | 31,776 | 15,841 | 15,935 | 58.3 |
| 2016 | 31,384 | 15,749 | 15,635 | 58.6 |
| 2015 | 32,160 | 15,892 | 16,268 | 61.0 |
| 2014 | 29,032 | 14,565 | 14,467 | 55.8 |
| 2013 | 29,948 | 15,021 | 14,927 | 58.7 |
| 2012 | 28,533 | 14,378 | 14,155 | – |
| 2011 | 26,748 | 13,539 | 13,209 | – |
| 2010 | 25,985 | 13,137 | 12,848 | – |
| 2009 | 25,419 | 13,165 | 12,254 | – |
| 2008 | 26,902 | 13,777 | 13,125 | – |
| 2007 | 25,668 | 13,080 | 12,588 | – |
| 2006 | 25,286 | 13,003 | 12,283 | – |
| 2005 | 26,198 | 13,593 | 12,605 | – |
| 2004 | 25,367 | 13,390 | 11,977 | – |
| 2003 | 27,796 | 14,544 | 13,252 | – |
| 2002 | 26,233 | 14,012 | 12,221 | – |
| 2001 | 25,698 | 13,879 | 11,819 | – |
Age at death
Of the 30,421 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 68.6% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 12,127, was in the 75 to 84 age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2001: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 28 |
| 15 to 44 | 140 | 96 | 44 | 185 |
| 45 to 64 | 3,092 | 1,709 | 1,383 | 2,423 |
| 65 to 74 | 6,307 | 3,215 | 3,092 | 6,310 |
| 75 to 84 | 12,127 | 6,037 | 6,090 | 10,825 |
| 85 and over | 8,740 | 4,023 | 4,717 | 5,927 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 3,429 deaths from this cause in 2024 (1,526 men, 1,903 women). In 2011 the figure was 3,062.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,429 | 1,526 | 1,903 |
| 2023 | 3,488 | 1,573 | 1,915 |
| 2022 | 3,119 | 1,448 | 1,671 |
| 2021 | 2,787 | 1,288 | 1,499 |
| 2020 | 2,798 | 1,281 | 1,517 |
| 2019 | 3,283 | 1,452 | 1,831 |
| 2018 | 3,469 | 1,495 | 1,974 |
| 2017 | 3,449 | 1,518 | 1,931 |
| 2016 | 3,438 | 1,508 | 1,930 |
| 2015 | 3,512 | 1,575 | 1,937 |
| 2014 | 3,116 | 1,427 | 1,689 |
| 2013 | 3,184 | 1,487 | 1,697 |
| 2012 | 3,251 | 1,458 | 1,793 |
| 2011 | 3,062 | 1,394 | 1,668 |
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 1,087 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 846 in 2014.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,087 | 511 | 576 |
| 2023 | 990 | 496 | 494 |
| 2022 | 957 | 454 | 503 |
| 2021 | 744 | 343 | 401 |
| 2020 | 850 | 420 | 430 |
| 2019 | 918 | 458 | 460 |
| 2018 | 988 | 462 | 526 |
| 2017 | 1,005 | 478 | 527 |
| 2016 | 896 | 435 | 461 |
| 2015 | 934 | 457 | 477 |
| 2014 | 846 | 407 | 439 |
NHS figures for England
People on GP registers (England)
OHID's Fingertips tool gives “COPD: QOF prevalence” as 1.89% in England for 2024/25, covering 1,207,974 patients. The first figure in the series, for 2009/10, was 1.57%.
| Period | Per cent | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 1.89% | 1,207,974 |
| 2023/24 | 1.86% | 1,175,163 |
| 2022/23 | 1.85% | 1,151,474 |
| 2021/22 | 1.87% | 1,152,272 |
| 2020/21 | 1.93% | 1,170,437 |
| 2019/20 | 1.94% | 1,170,786 |
| 2018/19 | 1.93% | 1,144,151 |
| 2017/18 | 1.91% | 1,113,417 |
| 2016/17 | 1.87% | 1,087,908 |
| 2015/16 | 1.85% | 1,066,471 |
| 2014/15 | 1.82% | 1,034,578 |
| 2013/14 | 1.78% | 1,004,920 |
| 2012/13 | 1.74% | 974,999 |
| 2011/12 | 1.69% | 938,511 |
| 2010/11 | 1.63% | 898,989 |
| 2009/10 | 1.57% | 861,341 |
Source: OHID Fingertips, indicator 253 (NHS England) · data read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 06a459309f135a8e…
Hospital admissions (England)
OHID's Fingertips tool gives “Emergency hospital admissions for COPD, all ages” as 201.1 per 100,000 in England for 2024/25, covering 118,975 admissions. The first figure in the series, for 2013/14, was 231.8 per 100,000.
| Period | per 100,000 | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 201.1 per 100,000 | 118,975 |
| 2023/24 | 208.5 per 100,000 | 121,129 |
| 2022/23 | 190.8 per 100,000 | 108,891 |
| 2021/22 | 183.6 per 100,000 | 102,689 |
| 2020/21 | 133.5 per 100,000 | 73,834 |
| 2019/20 | 246.7 per 100,000 | 133,916 |
| 2018/19 | 248.6 per 100,000 | 130,522 |
| 2017/18 | 247.2 per 100,000 | 128,767 |
| 2016/17 | 248.6 per 100,000 | 127,094 |
| 2015/16 | 244.7 per 100,000 | 123,238 |
| 2014/15 | 247.4 per 100,000 | 122,402 |
| 2013/14 | 231.8 per 100,000 | 112,719 |
Source: OHID Fingertips, indicator 93577 (OHID, based on NHS England data) · data read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256 667d08502e3320b4…
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 “Chronic lower respiratory diseases”, codes J40 to J47. 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.
Related answers
- What is the leading cause of death in the UK?
- How many people die in the UK each year?
- All questions on deaths and life expectancy
More in lungs and breathing
Sources and receipts
ONS mortality extracts for codes J40 to J47, 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
46c48ddbac9e5289…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
69293ab6c27a226f…· publisher's page - Mortality statistics - underlying cause, sex and age (NM_161_1)Office for National Statistics (Nomis) · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
79b45f1c585cedc1…· publisher's page
No view is given on whether a figure is high or low. Report an error.