How many people die in the UK each year?

The ONS reported 570,988 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2025, up 0.4% on 2024, in its death registration bulletin published 25 September 2026. The age-standardised mortality rate, which allows for the size and age of the population, was the lowest since the series began in 1994.

Scotland and Northern Ireland register deaths separately, through National Records of Scotland and NISRA, so a UK total means adding the three. The ONS also publishes infant mortality: 3.9 deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births in England and Wales in 2024.

Check whether a figure counts deaths registered in a year or deaths that occurred in it; deaths referred to a coroner can take months to register. A rising number of deaths can sit alongside a falling death rate as the population ages.

Official sources: ONS deaths registered in England and Wales · National Records of Scotland vital events · NISRA 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

• 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.
• Provisional figures
  Early estimates published before all data are in, so users get timely figures. They are expected to be updated when later data arrive.
• Calendar year
  January to December. Used for GDP annual totals, registered deaths and many international comparisons, unlike the April to March financial year.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 population and vital statistics (ONS, National Records of Scotland and NISRA)
  Where to find official UK figures on births, fertility, baby names, marriage, divorce, households, population estimates, projections and the census.
• 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 is the leading cause of death in the UK?
• What is the population of 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.