Causes of death and health conditions · Cancer

Melanoma skin cancer deaths in the UK

The Office for National Statistics recorded 2,571 deaths in England and Wales in 2025 where the underlying cause was Malignant melanoma of skin (ICD-10 C43). That was 123 more than in 2024 (2,448). It is the highest yearly figure since 2001.

England and Wales, 2025

2,571

deaths registered · ONS

Age-standardised rate, 2025

4.1

per 100,000 people · ONS

Scotland, 2024

221

deaths registered · NRS

Northern Ireland, 2024

deaths registered · NISRA

Deaths each year in England and Wales

Deaths registered in England and Wales from Malignant melanoma of skin, 2001 to 2025. Office for National Statistics.

Taking account of the population's size and age, the ONS age-standardised death rate was 4.1 per 100,000 people in 2025, the same as in 2013 (4.1). For men it was 5.6 and for women 2.9.

Men accounted for 1,565 of the 2025 deaths and women for 1,006.

Melanoma skin cancer, C43: deaths registered in England and Wales; rate per 100,000 from 2013.
Year	All	Men	Women	Age-standardised rate
2025	2,571	1,565	1,006	4.1
2024	2,448	1,447	1,001	4.0
2023	2,471	1,468	1,003	4.1
2022	2,219	1,315	904	3.8
2021	2,141	1,250	891	3.7
2020	2,143	1,268	875	3.7
2019	2,085	1,218	867	3.7
2018	2,116	1,276	840	3.8
2017	2,106	1,189	917	3.8
2016	2,080	1,226	854	3.8
2015	2,210	1,324	886	4.2
2014	2,237	1,307	930	4.2
2013	2,109	1,199	910	4.1
2012	1,920	1,110	810	–
2011	1,999	1,167	832	–
2010	1,947	1,115	832	–
2009	1,858	1,044	814	–
2008	1,847	1,008	839	–
2007	1,825	988	837	–
2006	1,649	949	700	–
2005	1,619	855	764	–
2004	1,598	891	707	–
2003	1,585	834	751	–
2002	1,476	786	690	–
2001	1,475	757	718	–

Age at death

Of the 2,571 deaths in 2025 with an age recorded, 59.1% were of people aged 75 or over; the largest number, 864, was in the 75 to 84 age group.

Deaths by age at death, England and Wales.
Age	2025: all	2025: men	2025: women	2001: all
Under 15	0	0	0	0
15 to 44	83	50	33	156
45 to 64	437	260	177	473
65 to 74	531	346	185	328
75 to 84	864	519	345	349
85 and over	656	390	266	169

Scotland

National Records of Scotland recorded 221 deaths from this cause in 2024 (127 men, 94 women). In 2011 the figure was 176.

Deaths registered in Scotland. National Records of Scotland, vital events reference tables, table 6.01.
Year	All	Men	Women
2024	221	127	94
2023	189	109	80
2022	168	105	63
2021	207	120	87
2020	173	91	82
2019	183	97	86
2018	173	95	78
2017	185	101	84
2016	162	102	60
2015	174	99	75
2014	176	100	76
2013	180	88	92
2012	190	115	75
2011	176	105	71

Northern Ireland

NISRA's Registrar General figures give 87 deaths from this cause registered in Northern Ireland in 2024, against 53 in 2014.

Deaths registered in Northern Ireland. NISRA, Registrar General Annual Report, table 6.4b.
Year	All	Men	Women
2024	87	53	34
2023	76	40	36
2022	66	42	24
2021	59	29	30
2020	57	36	21
2019	45	21	24
2018	69	41	28
2017	71	39	32
2016	48	29	19
2015	63	37	26
2014	53	28	25

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 melanoma of skin”, codes C43. 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.

Sources and receipts

ONS mortality extracts for codes C43, 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 3894e4566b05129a… · publisher's page

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