What is the leading cause of death in the UK?

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease were the leading cause of death in England and Wales in 2025, with 72,272 deaths (12.7% of all deaths), according to the ONS death registration bulletin of 25 September 2026. The ranking differs by sex: dementia led for females, while ischaemic heart diseases led for males (12.2% of male deaths). Among younger adults, external causes such as suicide and accidents rank higher.

The ONS ranks causes using a standard list of grouped causes, so the answer depends on how causes are grouped. All cancers together cause more deaths than dementia, but they are split into separate types in the ranking. National Records of Scotland and NISRA publish their own rankings.

When checking a claim, look at which list, which year, and whether it uses the underlying cause of death or any mention on the death certificate.

Official sources: ONS deaths registered in England and Wales · 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

• 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.
• Odds, risk, relative and absolute risk
  Risk is the chance an event happens out of everyone exposed; odds compare those it happens to with those it does not. Relative risk compares two groups' risks.
• 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.
• 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.

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

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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.