How many Covid deaths were there in the UK?

The UK Health Security Agency's data dashboard publishes deaths with COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate, by date and area, alongside cases, hospital admissions and vaccination. The ONS publishes deaths involving COVID-19 from death registrations for England and Wales in its deaths statistics.

Two definitions are common. "Deaths involving COVID-19" means it was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate; "deaths due to COVID-19" means it was the underlying cause. Early in the pandemic the government also counted deaths within 28 days of a positive test, which is a third measure and gives different totals.

Totals for "the pandemic" depend on the start and end dates chosen. For deaths above normal levels from all causes, see excess deaths.

Official sources: UKHSA data dashboard: COVID-19 · ONS deaths statistics

The latest figure

The newest value is at Office for National Statistics (ONS). More on it: Deaths registered in England and Wales.

When is the next figure out?

Annual. A first summary (Death registration summary statistics) appears in late May and the full release in the autumn; the 2025 full release was published on 25 September 2026. The .xlsx file name changes each year

Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.

Terms used in this answer

• Incidence and prevalence
  Incidence counts new cases arising in a period. Prevalence counts everyone who has the condition at a point or over a period, whether new or existing.
• Age-standardised rate
  A rate adjusted to a standard population age structure, so that places or years with older or younger populations can be compared fairly.
• Crude rate
  A rate calculated by dividing events by the whole population, with no adjustment for differences in age structure between places or over time.
• Rate per 100,000
  The number of events divided by the population and multiplied by 100,000, so areas of different sizes can be compared on a like-for-like basis.
• Calendar year
  January to December. Used for GDP annual totals, registered deaths and many international comparisons, unlike the April to March financial year.
• Administrative data
  Information collected by organisations while running a service, such as tax records, benefit claims or hospital activity, and then used to produce statistics.

Where the figures come from

• UK deaths, life expectancy and public health statistics (ONS, OHID, UKHSA, NRS, NISRA)
  Where to find official UK figures on deaths, excess deaths, life expectancy, causes of death, suicide, drug and alcohol deaths and vaccination.

Related questions

• What are excess deaths?
• What are vaccination rates in the UK?
• What is the life expectancy in the UK?

This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about deaths, life expectancy and public health: all Deaths, life expectancy and public health questions.