Avoidable mortality in England and Wales: 2024

• Around one in five deaths in 2024 were considered preventable or treatable in England (21.3%), and in Wales (22.8%), with age-standardised avoidable mortality rates falling to levels similar to the years preceding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

• There was regional variation within England, with the highest rates of avoidable mortality in the North East, and the lowest rates in the South East.

• There were higher rates of avoidable mortality in more deprived areas; in both England and Wales the most deprived areas had avoidable mortality rates nearly four times higher than the least deprived areas.

• There were higher rates of avoidable mortality for males compared with females, across all deprivation deciles in both countries, with the largest differences seen in more deprived areas.

• The leading cause of avoidable mortality in both England and Wales remained neoplasms (tumours), despite the rate steadily decreasing over time; the second most common cause category was diseases of the circulatory system.

• There were higher rates of avoidable mortality in the most deprived group compared with the least deprived group, in all of the most prevalent causes of avoidable mortality, in both England and Wales in 2024.

Avoidable mortality

Avoidable mortality is defined as deaths that are either preventable or treatable for those aged under 75 years, in line with the international avoidable mortality definition (PDF, 694KB). For the list of causes of death that are classified as avoidable, please see our accompanying datasets.

In 2024:

• 21.3% of all deaths in England were considered avoidable (113,404 of 531,953 deaths); in England, the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) was 227.6 deaths per 100,000 people.

• 22.8% of all deaths in Wales were considered avoidable (8,062 of 35,405 deaths); in Wales, the ASMR was 272.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

In both England and Wales, the ASMRs in 2024 were lower than the rates in the previous year (237.4 per 100,000 for England and 277.0 for Wales in 2023). However, the reduction in Wales is not statistically significant.

ASMRs in both England and Wales were relatively stable in the period 2012 to 2019, following a declining trend in the earlier part of our time series (2001 to 2011). Rates then increased throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reaching a peak of 263.3 per 100,000 in England and 296.9 per 100,000 in Wales, both in 2021. Since then, rates in both countries have returned to levels similar to those seen in the years preceding the pandemic.

Preventable and treatable mortality

There are two types of avoidable mortality: preventable mortality and treatable mortality. These categories refer to deaths attributed to conditions considered preventable or treatable. More information about this categorisation process can be found in our Avoidable mortality in the UK Quality and Methodology Information.

Of the 113,404 avoidable deaths in England in 2024:

• 72,709 (64.1%) could be attributed to conditions considered preventable

• 40,695 (35.9%) could be attributed to conditions considered treatable

Of the 8,062 avoidable deaths in Wales in 2024:

• 5,249 (65.1%) could be attributed to conditions considered preventable

• 2,813 (34.9%) could be attributed to conditions considered treatable

Excluding pandemic years, the proportion of avoidable deaths from preventable causes has increased; in 2001, preventable causes accounted for only 59.1% in England, and 59.5% in Wales.

These changing proportions are influenced by stable mortality rates from preventable causes of death but reducing mortality rates from causes that can be preventable and treatable (for example, diseases of the circulatory system, and neoplasms).

Avoidable mortality by English regions

Age-standardised mortality rates for avoidable mortality fell in every region of England between 2023 and 2024.

The highest rates of avoidable mortality in the year 2024 were in the North East, with a mortality rate of 280.5 per 100,000, and the North West with a rate of 274.6 per 100,000. These two regions saw the largest relative falls in their respective AMSRs, with declines of 6.0% for the North East and 5.6% for the North West.

The lowest rates of avoidable mortality in 2024 were in the South East, with a mortality rate of 193.8 per 100,000, and the East of England, with a rate of 199.6 per 100,000. The relative declines for these two regions were 3.2% for the South East and 5.1% for the East of England.

The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) is a measure of relative deprivation in England, and the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) measures the same for Wales. It ranks areas from most deprived to least deprived, using datasets specific to each nation. Figures for England and Wales are therefore not comparable. Deprivation deciles rank areas from 1 (most deprived) to 10 (least deprived).

England

In all IMD deciles in England in 2024, the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) was higher for males than females, suggesting that regardless of deprivation, males are more at risk of avoidable mortality. Additionally, the difference in ASMR between males and females increased alongside levels of deprivation, with the largest difference seen in the most deprived areas (decile 1). This is consistent with previous years.

In 2024, the male avoidable ASMR in the most deprived areas of England (decile 1) was 563.3 deaths per 100,000 males. This was 3.7 times higher than the 152.1 deaths per 100,000 males seen in the least deprived areas (decile 10).

The female ASMR also showed a large difference between most and least deprived areas, with 339.3 deaths per 100,000 females in the most deprived areas (decile 1), which was 3.5 times higher than the 96.6 deaths per 100,000 females in the least deprived areas (decile 10).

Wales

Similarly to England, in all WIMD deciles in Wales in 2024, the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) was higher for males than for females, most predominantly in more deprived areas. This was consistent throughout the time series.

In 2024, the male avoidable ASMR in the most deprived areas of Wales (decile 1) was 629.7 deaths per 100,000 males. This was 3.2 times higher than the 195.6 deaths per 100,000 males seen in the least deprived areas (decile 10). 

The female ASMR also showed a large difference between most and least deprived areas, with 398.7 deaths per 100,000 females in the most deprived areas of Wales (decile 1). This was 3.7 times higher than the 108.7 deaths per 100,000 females in the least deprived areas (decile 10).

England and Wales

For the list of causes of death within each cause grouping, please see the definitions tabs in our accompanying datasets.

In 2024, the leading cause of avoidable mortality in both England and Wales was neoplasms (tumours), followed by diseases of the circulatory system. Neoplasms have been the most common cause of avoidable deaths since 2007.

The ASMR for neoplasms in 2024 was 72.9 per 100,000 people in England, and 82.4 per 100,000 people in Wales. For diseases of the circulatory system, the rates were 63.6 per 100,000 people in England and 71.3 per 100,000 people in Wales.

Compared with the previous year, for England, the ASMR decreased for each of the leading-cause groupings, with statistically significant falls for:

• alcohol-related and drug-related causes

• diseases of the circulatory system

• infectious diseases

• neoplasms

• COVID-19

The only statistically significant change in Wales was the fall in the ASMR for circulatory diseases. This decreased from 79.9 per 100,000 (confidence intervals 76.7 to 83.2) in 2023 to 71.3 per 100,000 (confidence intervals 68.2 to 74.3) in 2024.

Figure 4: The leading cause of avoidable mortality in both England and Wales was neoplasms, followed by diseases of the circulatory system

Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths from avoidable causes by cause, England and Wales, registered from 2001 to 2024

Notes

1. Age-standardised mortality rates are expressed per 100,000 people and standardised to the 2013 European Standard Population.
2. Deaths of non-residents are excluded.
3. Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Children and young people in England and Wales

For children and young people (aged 0 to 19 years), the leading cause of avoidable mortality in 2024 in England and Wales was injuries (e.g. transport accidents, assault, intentional self-harm), with 636 registered deaths. This has been the leading cause of death throughout the time series (2001 to 2024).

The ASMR for avoidable mortality in children and young people, for deaths registered in 2024, was 9.8 per 100,000 in England and 10.1 per 100,000 in Wales. The rate for both countries has been relatively stable since around 2010 following a decline during the previous decade.

England

In 2024 in England, there was a higher number of avoidable deaths in the most deprived group, compared with the least deprived group, in all seven cause groups of avoidable mortality that we present. 

There is also a difference in avoidable mortality in England by deprivation between sexes. The rate of avoidable mortality is higher in males, particularly in the most deprived groups.

Figure 5: There is a higher rate of avoidable mortality in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas in all the most prevalent causes of avoidable mortality in England

Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths from avoidable causes, by sex, deprivation decile and cause, England, registered in 2024

Notes

1. Age-standardised mortality rates are expressed per 100,000 people and standardised to the 2013 European Standard Population.
2. Deaths of non-residents are excluded.
3. Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
4. Deprivation deciles are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Most deprived areas refer to decile 1, and least deprived to decile 10.

Wales

In 2024 in Wales, there was a higher number of avoidable deaths in the most deprived group, compared with the least deprived group, in all seven cause groups of avoidable mortality that we present.

Figure 6: There is a higher rate of avoidable mortality in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived areas in all the most prevalent causes of avoidable mortality in Wales

Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths from avoidable causes, by sex, deprivation quintile and cause, Wales, registered in 2024

Notes

1. Age-standardised mortality rates are expressed per 100,000 people and standardised to the 2013 European Standard Population.
2. Deaths of non-residents are excluded.
3. Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.
4. Deprivation quintiles are based on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. Most deprived areas refer to quintile 1, and least deprived to quintile 5.

Age-standardised mortality rates

Age-standardised mortality rates are used to allow comparisons between populations that may contain different proportions of people of different ages.

Avoidable mortality

Avoidable mortality refers to deaths that are preventable or treatable.

Preventable mortality

Preventable mortality refers to causes of death that can be mainly avoided through effective public health and primary prevention interventions (that is, before the onset of diseases or injuries, to reduce incidence).

Slope Index of Inequality (SII)

This index models the absolute inequality (the difference between the hypothetical most- and least-deprived populations) in avoidable mortality using weighted linear regression. This takes account of the inequality across all adjacent deciles of relative deprivation, rather than focusing only on the differencing of the two extremes.

Statistical significance

Refers to statistically significant changes or differences. Statistical significance has been determined using the 95% confidence intervals, where instances of non-overlapping confidence intervals between figures indicate the difference is unlikely to have arisen from random fluctuation.

Treatable mortality

Treatable mortality refers to causes of death that can be mainly avoided through timely and effective healthcare interventions, including secondary prevention and treatment (that is, after the onset of disease, to reduce case-fatality).

Sources

Figures are calculated using death registration data for England and Wales held by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), published in our Deaths registered in England and Wales bulletin.

Quality

More quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in our Avoidable mortality in the UK Quality and Methodology Information.

Socioeconomic deprivation

Socioeconomic deprivation is measured using England's Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) on GOV.UK, which provides an overall relative measure of deprivation for each Lower layer Super Output Area (LSOA). More information can be found in our Socioeconomic inequalities in avoidable mortality Quality and Methodology Information.