COVID-19 deaths in the UK
The Office for National Statistics recorded 3,090 deaths in England and Wales in 2025 where the underlying cause was COVID-19 (ICD-10 U07.1 to U07.2, U10.9). That was 3,543 fewer than in 2024 (6,633). It is the lowest yearly figure since 2020.
Deaths each year in England and Wales
Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 4.9 per 100,000 people in 2025, 96.2% lower than in 2020 (129.0). For men it was 6.4 and for women 3.9.
Men accounted for 1,667 of the 2025 deaths and women for 1,423.
| Year | All | Men | Women | Age-standardised rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,090 | 1,667 | 1,423 | 4.9 |
| 2024 | 6,633 | 3,666 | 2,967 | – |
| 2023 | 11,842 | 6,452 | 5,390 | – |
| 2022 | 22,454 | 12,223 | 10,231 | 38.0 |
| 2021 | 67,350 | 36,794 | 30,556 | – |
| 2020 | 73,766 | 40,995 | 32,771 | 129.0 |
Age at death
Of the 3,090 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 80.6% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 1,536, was in the 85 and over age group.
| Age | 2025: all | 2025: men | 2025: women | 2020: all |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 15 to 44 | 27 | 14 | 13 | 723 |
| 45 to 64 | 193 | 108 | 85 | 6,665 |
| 65 to 74 | 377 | 201 | 176 | 11,030 |
| 75 to 84 | 955 | 558 | 397 | 24,101 |
| 85 and over | 1,536 | 786 | 750 | 31,242 |
Scotland
National Records of Scotland recorded 739 deaths from this cause in 2024 (389 men, 350 women). In 2020 the figure was 6,048.
NRS counts COVID-19 as ICD-10 code U07.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 739 | 389 | 350 |
| 2023 | 1,342 | 700 | 642 |
| 2022 | 2,314 | 1,174 | 1,140 |
| 2021 | 4,833 | 2,567 | 2,266 |
| 2020 | 6,048 | 3,101 | 2,947 |
Northern Ireland
NISRA's Registrar General figures give 244 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 1,625 in 2020.
| Year | All | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 244 | 134 | 110 |
| 2023 | 330 | 186 | 144 |
| 2022 | 655 | 348 | 307 |
| 2021 | 1,849 | 1,040 | 809 |
| 2020 | 1,625 | 796 | 829 |
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 “COVID-19”, codes U07.1 to U07.2, U10.9. Other conditions mentioned on a death certificate are not counted here.
The ONS has used these codes for deaths due to COVID-19 since 2020; deaths where COVID-19 was mentioned on the certificate but was not the underlying cause 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 U07.1 to U07.2, U10.9, 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
5f888ba79ba1ac23…· publisher's page
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