1. Main points
- In the week ending 31 March 2023 (Week 13), 11,584 deaths were registered in England and Wales; 634 of these deaths mentioned novel coronavirus (COVID-19), accounting for 5.5% of all deaths.
- This is a decrease in all deaths compared with the week ending 24 March 2023 (Week 12), when the number of all-cause deaths registered was 12,052; COVID-19 accounted for 624 of these deaths (5.2%).
- Of the 634 deaths involving COVID-19 in Week 13, 68.1% (432 deaths) had this recorded as the underlying cause of death, which was the same proportion as in Week 12.
- The number of deaths was above the five-year average in private homes (28.7% above, 732 excess deaths), hospitals (20.4% above, 869 excess deaths), care homes (14.8% above, 298 excess deaths) and other settings (14.3% above, 106 excess deaths).
- The number of deaths registered in the UK in the week ending 31 March 2023 (Week 13) was 13,137, which was 19.6% above the five-year average (2,156 more deaths); of these deaths, 729 involved COVID-19.
- For more information on different measures of excess death and our current work around excess mortality, please read our blog post,How do we measure expected and excess deaths?.
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The numbers of deaths shown for England and Wales separately do not add up exactly to the numbers for England and Wales together. This is because the latter figures include deaths of non-residents in addition to those of residents of the two countries.
2. Deaths registered in England and Wales
In the week ending 31 March 2023 (Week 13), 11,584 deaths were registered in England and Wales. Of these, 10,856 were registered in England and 708 were registered in Wales (Table 1).
Week 13 2023 | England and Wales (including non-residents) | England | Wales |
---|---|---|---|
Total deaths (all causes) | 11,584 | 10,856 | 708 |
Total deaths above 5 year average | 2,004 | 1,922 | 83 |
Percentage change compared to 5-year average (2017 to 2019 and 2021, 2022) | 20.9% | 21.5% | 13.4% |
Deaths involving COVID-19 | 634 | 599 | 35 |
Percentage of deaths involving COVID-19 | 5.5% | 5.5% | 4.9% |
Total deaths (Week 11 2020 to Week 13 2023) | 1,831,646 | 1,715,887 | 112,867 |
Total involving COVID-19 (Week 11 2020 to Week 13 2023) | 201,653 | 189,607 | 11,707 |
Total deaths above 5 year average (Week 11 2020 to Week 13 2023) | 181,589 | 173,320 | 9,501 |
Download this table Table 1: Deaths registered in England and Wales, week ending 31 March 2023 (Week 13, 2023)
.xls.csv
The number of deaths from all causes was above the five-year average in England and Wales in the week ending 31 March 2023 (Week 13). Figure 1 shows the number of deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19) and not involving COVID-19.
Figure 1: Total deaths from all causes were above the five-year average in Week 13 2023
Number of deaths registered by week, England and Wales, 28 December 2019 to 31 March 2023
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Notes:
Figures include deaths of non-residents.
Based on date a death was registered rather than occurred.
All figures are provisional.
The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10) definitions are available inSection 5: Measuring the data.
The number of deaths registered in a week is affected when bank holidays occur.
The five-year average for each year is as follows: 2017 to 2019, and 2021 to 2022 for comparisons with 2023; 2016 to 2019 and 2021 for comparisons with 2022; and 2015 to 2019 for comparisons with 2020 and 2021.
Download the data
.xlsx
Back to table of contents3. Deaths data
Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional
Dataset | Released 13 April 2023
Provisional counts of the number of deaths registered in England and Wales, by age, sex and region, in the latest weeks for which data are available. Includes the most up-to-date figures available for deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19).
Death registrations and occurrences by local authority and health board
Dataset | Released 13 April 2023
Provisional counts of the number of deaths registered in England and Wales, including deaths involving COVID-19, by local authority, health board and place of death in the latest weeks for which data are available.
Number of deaths in care homes notified to the Care Quality Commission, England
Dataset | Released 13 April 2023
Provisional counts of deaths in care homes caused by COVID-19 by local authority. Published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Care home resident deaths registered in England and Wales, provisional
Dataset | Released 13 April 2023
Provisional counts of the number of care home resident deaths registered in England and Wales, by region, including deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19), in the latest weeks for which data are available.
Try the new way to filter and download these data:
- Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales by age and sex: COVID-19
- Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales by region: COVID-19
- Death registrations and occurrences by local authority and place of death
4. Glossary
Coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths
COVID-19 deaths are those deaths registered in England and Wales in the stated week where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. A doctor can certify the involvement of COVID-19 based on symptoms and clinical findings; a positive test result is not required. Definitions of COVID-19 for deaths in Scotland and Northern Ireland are similar to England and Wales.
Excess deaths
The term excess deaths in this statistical bulletin refers to the number of deaths above the five-year average. For 2020 and 2021, the average for 2015 to 2019 has been used. For 2022, the average is calculated from 2016 to 2019 and 2021 data. For 2023, the average is calculated from 2017 to 2019, 2021, and 2022 data. This provides a comparison of the number of deaths expected in a usual (non-coronavirus pandemic) year.
Back to table of contents5. Measuring the data
We publish timely, provisional counts of death registrations in ourDeaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional dataset. These are presented:
- by sex
- by age group
- for regions (within England)
- for Wales as a whole
To allow time for registration and processing, figures are published 11 days after the week ends. We also provide provisional updated totals for death occurrences based on the latest available death registrations, up to 8 April 2023.
The five-year average shows us the expected number of deaths per week based on the most recent years and smooths random year-on-year fluctuations. We use the 2015 to 2019 five-year average as a usual non-coronavirus (COVID-19) period to compare with. The further we move away from this period, the less robust the measure is because of changes in population numbers, age, and structure.
Deaths registered in 2023 will be compared with the 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 five-year average.
The number of registration days in a reference period can affect mortality statistics. Bank holidays can affect the number of registrations because registration offices are closed.
Coronavirus
This weekly release provides a breakdown of the number of deaths involving coronavirus. This includes deaths where COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, including in combination with other health conditions.
If a death certificate mentions COVID-19, it will not always be the main cause of death but may be a contributory factor.
Data coverage
The number of weeks in the year will affect how many days the data cover in the year. Leap years require a 53rd week to be added to the end of the calendar year. The last leap year was in 2020. It is more appropriate to compare 2020 figures with the average for Week 52 than with a single year from five years previously. Read more on the data coverage for the weekly deaths bulletin inSection 1 of our Coronavirus and mortality in England and Wales methodology.
Influenza and pneumonia have been included for comparison in ourDeaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional dataset. These illnesses are a well-understood cause of death involving respiratory infection likely to have somewhat similar risk factors to COVID-19.
Registration delays
This bulletin is based mainly on the date that deaths are registered, not the date of death. Deaths in England and Wales are normally registered within five days. There can be a longer delay, particularly if the death is referred to a coroner. Read more in ourImpact of registration delays on mortality statistics in England and Wales.
We have developed a statistical model to estimate the number of deaths likely to have occurred in each week based on the previous pattern of registration delays, including the effects of bank holidays. Read more in ourPredicting total weekly death occurrences in England and Wales methodology. Results are shown in sheet 11 of ourDeaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional dataset.
Classification codes
From the week ending 26 February 2021 (Week 8), new International Classification of Diseases codes for COVID-19 issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) were used for deaths involving COVID-19. Read more in ourCoronavirus and mortality in England and Wales methodology.
For further information on data quality, legislation and procedures relating to mortality, and a glossary of terms, view ourUser guide to mortality statistics methodology.
Back to table of contents6. Strengths and limitations
Comparability
These weekly figures are for England and Wales only. They are from the formal death registration process and may include cases where the doctor completing the death certificate diagnosed possible cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), for example, based on relevant symptoms, but where no test was conducted. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures are different from thedaily surveillance figures on COVID-19 deaths published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on GOV.UK, which are for the UK as a whole and its constituent countries.
On 1 February 2022, the UK Health Security Agency technical summary data series was revised to include deaths of positively tested individuals where the death occurred within 28 days, and deaths within 60 days of a positive test. Read more inthe UK Health Security Agency technical summary (PDF, 443KB).
Some definitions of COVID-19 deaths differ between sources and settings. Read more in ourCoronavirus and mortality in England and Wales methodology.
Quality
More quality and methodology information (QMI) on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in ourMortality statistics in England and Wales QMI.
Back to table of contents7. Related links
Death registration summary statistics, England and Wales: 2022
Bulletin| Released 11 April 2023
Number of deaths registered by year, sex, area of usual residence and selected underlying cause of death.
Excess deaths in England and Wales: March 2020 to December 2022
Article | Released 9 March 2023
Number of excess deaths, including deaths due to coronavirus (COVID-19) and due to other causes. Including breakdowns by age, sex and geography.
Deaths registered in England and Wales: 2021 (refreshed populations)
Bulletin | Released 27 January 2023
Registered deaths by age, sex, selected underlying causes of death, leading causes of death. Death rates and registrations by residence area, single year of age.
Monthly mortality analysis, England and Wales
Bulletin | Released monthly
Provisional death registration data for England and Wales, broken down by sex, age and country. Includes deaths due to coronavirus (COVID-19) and leading causes of death.
Deaths registered in private homes, England and Wales: 2020 final and January to June 2021, provisional
Article | Released 10 November 2021
Deaths registered in private homes by age, sex, place of occurrence and selected underlying causes of death and the leading causes of death.
8. Cite this statistical bulletin
Office for National Statistics (ONS), released 13 April 2023, ONS website, statistical bulletin, Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional: week ending 31 March 2023
Back to table of contentsFAQs
How many deaths are registered in England and Wales annually? ›
In the week ending 17 March 2023 (Week 11) 12,133 deaths were registered in England and Wales; this was 9.7% above the five-year average (1,074 more deaths). The number of deaths registered in England in the week ending 17 March 2023 (Week 11) was 11,315; this was 9.5% above the five-year average (983 excess deaths).
How many registered deaths in UK by year? ›There were 667,479 deaths in the United Kingdom in 2021, compared with 689,629 in 2020. Between 2003 and 2011, the annual number of deaths in the UK fell from 612,085 to just over 552,232.
How many deaths registered in England and Wales 2012? ›Total deaths
There were 499,331 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2012 compared with 484,367 in 2011 (a rise of 3.1%), and 535,356 in 2002. This is the fourth consecutive year that annual death registrations have been below half a million.
In 2011 there were 484,367 deaths registered in England and Wales. Of these deaths, 463,450 occurred in 2011, representing 95.7 per cent of the deaths registered.
Is there a public record of deaths in the UK? ›You can order birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership and death certificates from the General Register Office ( GRO ) to help you research your family history and family tree. GRO has all the records registered in England and Wales from July 1837. You'll need to look at parish records to trace back further.
What is UK annual death rate? ›There were 666,659 deaths registered in the UK in 2021, a decrease of 3.3% from 689,629 in 2020.
Can I search UK death records for free? ›The historical birth and death index - births over 100 years old and deaths up to 1957 (those records that have been digitised) are available to search free of charge, via the GRO website at www.gov.uk/ bmdcertificates. You can also visit www.freebmd.org.uk which contains a transcription of the index from 1837 to 1983.
What are the statistics of deaths per year? ›Data from the National Vital Statistics System
The age-adjusted death rate increased by 5.3% from 835.4 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2020 to 879.7 in 2021. Age-specific death rates increased from 2020 to 2021 for each age group 1 year and over.
Over 450,000 people die in England each year: approximately half of these deaths occur in hospital, approximately 40% of deaths are either in a person's own home or in a residential care home (these two settings combined are referred to as deaths “in usual place of residence”), and fewer than 10% of deaths occur in a ...
How many deaths registered in England and Wales 2017? ›There were 533,253 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2017, a 1.6% increase from 2016 and the highest number registered annually since 2003. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) decreased for both sexes in 2017; by 0.4% for males and 0.2% for females.
How many deaths registered in England and Wales 2016? ›
There were 525,048 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2016, a decrease of 0.9% after the large increase seen in 2015. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) decreased in 2016 by 3.0% for females and 2.4% for males; similar to the general trend prior to 2015.
How many deaths registered in England and Wales 2015? ›There were 529,655 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2015, an increase of 5.6% compared with 2014. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) increased in 2015 by 5.1% for females and 3.1% for males; a change to the general decrease in rates in recent years.
How many people died in England and Wales in 2010? ›Year | United Kingdom | England and Wales |
---|---|---|
2013 | 576,458 | 506,790 |
2012 | 569,024 | 499,331 |
2011 | 552,232 | 484,367 |
2010 | 561,666 | 493,242 |
Year | United Kingdom | England and Wales |
---|---|---|
2019 | 604,707 | 530,841 |
2018 | 616,014 | 541,589 |
2017 | 607,172 | 533,253 |
Year | United Kingdom | England |
---|---|---|
2017 | 607,172 | 498,882 |
2016 | 597,206 | 490,791 |
2015 | 602,782 | 495,309 |
2014 | 570,341 | 468,875 |
Over the next two years, the disease killed between 30-40% of the entire population. Given that the pre-plague population of England was in the range of 5-6 million people, fatalities may have reached as high as 2,000,000 dead.
How many estimated annual alcohol related deaths in England and Wales occur annually? ›In 2021, there were 9,641 deaths (14.8 per 100,000 people) from alcohol-specific causes registered in the UK, the highest number on record.
How many people died in England and Wales in 2016? ›There were 525,048 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2016, a decrease of 0.9% after the large increase seen in 2015. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) decreased in 2016 by 3.0% for females and 2.4% for males; similar to the general trend prior to 2015.
What is the death rate of Wales? ›For Wales, the year-to-date ASMR for 2022 was 1,011.1 deaths per 100,000 people.