UK Chronic Disease Trends 2026: Dementia, Heart, Cancer

Modern blue-glass hospital towers in east London — File photo: the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel. Photo: Reading Tom via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Longer lives, sicker yearsUpdated 4 October 2026

Trend summary

People in the UK are dying at lower rates than ever recorded, but they are spending more of their lives in poor health.
The age-standardised death rate in England and Wales fell to about 913 per 100,000 in 2025, the lowest since the series began in 1994.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease remained the leading cause of death, with 72,272 deaths (12.7%). It first took the top spot in 2015.
Healthy life expectancy fell to 60.7 years for men and 60.9 for women in 2022-24, the lowest on record, as obesity and diabetes keep rising.

72,272dementia deaths, England and Wales, 2025: No. 1 cause

60.7 / 60.9UK healthy life expectancy, men / women, 2022-24

30%of adults in England living with obesity, 2024

4.6mpeople in the UK with diagnosed diabetes

What the numbers show

ONS death registrations for 2025 show 570,988 deaths in England and Wales, 0.4% more than in 2024, but a lower age-standardised rate than ever. UK life expectancy at birth was 79.1 years for men and 83.0 for women in 2022-24. Healthy life expectancy, the years lived in good health, fell to its lowest level since the series began in 2011-13.

By disease, UK cancer death rates fell to about 250 per 100,000, the lowest on record, while heart and circulatory diseases caused 169,205 deaths in 2024 (BHF). In England, 30% of adults had obesity in 2024, double the 1993 rate, and 4.6 million people in the UK have diagnosed diabetes.

What is driving it

Heart disease is the main reason life expectancy gains slowed after 2011: better blood pressure and cholesterol treatment has not offset the effects of obesity, poor diet and inactivity, according to a peer-reviewed Global Burden of Disease analysis in The Lancet Public Health (UEA summary). Cancer death rates keep falling thanks to less smoking, national screening, HPV vaccination and better treatment. And as fewer people die young of heart disease, more live long enough to die with dementia.

Recent cases

4 February 2026: the government publishes a National Cancer Plan for England, aiming for three in four people diagnosed to survive five years or more by 2035 (GOV.UK).
3 July 2025: the 10 Year Health Plan for England promises a shift from treating sickness to preventing it (GOV.UK).
19 May 2025: the British Heart Foundation warns of the worst start to a decade for heart health in 50 years, with working-age cardiovascular deaths up 18% between 2019 and 2023 (BHF).

Press releases and official reports, 2023–2026

Five key releases a year for the last four years, newest first. Most come from UK government departments, regulators, accident investigators and national statistics; a few news reports are included where they are the clearest public record of an event. Releases from 2007–2022 are in the expandable list after 2023.

View 20 years of major UK chronic disease press releases (2007–2026)80 more from 2007–2022, five a year, newest first

2022

15 Dec 2022NHS DigitalHealth Survey for England, 2021 part 1
1 Jul 2022ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales: 2021
17 May 2022DHSCHealth Secretary announces 10-year plan for dementia
14 May 2022DHSCGovernment delays restrictions on multibuy deals and advertising on TV and online
6 Apr 2022DHSCNew calorie labelling rules come into force to improve nation's health

2021

15 Sep 2021PHEHealth Profile for England: 2021
6 Jul 2021ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales: 2020
24 Jun 2021DHSCNew advertising rules to help tackle childhood obesity
12 May 2021DHSCCalorie labelling on menus to be introduced in cafes, restaurants and takeaways
29 Mar 2021DHSCNew Office for Health Promotion to drive improvement of nation's health

2020

15 Dec 2020NHS DigitalHealth Survey for England 2019 [NS]
27 Jul 2020DHSCTackling obesity: government strategy
24 Jul 2020PHEExcess weight and COVID-19: insights from new evidence
1 Jul 2020ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales: 2019
5 May 2020NHS DigitalStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet, England, 2020

2019

3 Dec 2019NHS DigitalHealth Survey for England 2018 [NS]
10 Oct 2019DHSCTime to solve childhood obesity: CMO special report
6 Aug 2019ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales: 2018
22 Jul 2019DHSCAdvancing our health: prevention in the 2020s
8 May 2019NHS DigitalStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet, England, 2019

2018

4 Dec 2018NHS DigitalHealth Survey for England 2017 [NS]
23 Oct 2018ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales (series DR): 2017
11 Sep 2018PHEHealth profile for England: 2018
25 Jun 2018DHSCChildhood obesity: a plan for action, chapter 2
5 Apr 2018HM TreasurySoft Drinks Industry Levy comes into effect

2017

13 Dec 2017NHS DigitalHealth Survey for England, 2016
12 Oct 2017ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales (series DR): 2016
18 Jul 2017DHSmoke-free generation: tobacco control plan for England
13 Jul 2017PHEHealth profile for England: 2017
30 Mar 2017NHS DigitalStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2017

2016

14 Dec 2016NHS DigitalHealth Survey for England, 2015
14 Nov 2016ONSDeaths registered in England and Wales (series DR): 2015
18 Aug 2016DHChildhood obesity: a plan for action
18 Aug 2016HM TreasurySoft Drinks Industry Levy: 12 things you should know
4 Feb 2016Cancer Research UKCancer death rates fall by almost 10 per cent in 10 years

2015

16 Dec 2015HSCICHealth Survey for England, 2014
22 Oct 2015PHESugar reduction: from evidence into action
5 Aug 2015Cancer Research UKCancer survival in England is improving – but still lagging behind similar countries
3 Mar 2015HSCICStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2015
21 Feb 2015DHPrime Minister's challenge on dementia 2020

2014

10 Dec 2014HSCICHealth Survey for England – 2013
Oct 2014NHS EnglandNHS Five Year Forward View
18 Aug 2014Cancer Research UKDeath rates in top four cancer killers fall by a third over 20 years
26 Jun 2014PHEPHE kick starts debate on sugar reduction
4 Feb 2014PHEPHE release local authority adult obesity data

2013

18 Dec 2013Cancer Research UKCancer death rates drop by 20 per cent over 20 years
18 Dec 2013HSCICHealth Survey for England – 2012
10 Jul 2013ONSDeaths Registered in England and Wales: 2012
11 Jun 2013DHLocal variation in avoidable death rates revealed
5 Mar 2013DHImproving cardiovascular disease outcomes: strategy

2012

20 Dec 2012NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2011, Health, social care and lifestyles
30 Oct 2012NHS Information CentreQuality and Outcomes Framework – 2011-12
25 Sep 2012Cancer Research UKCancer death rates continue to fall
26 Mar 2012DHPrime Minister's challenge on dementia
23 Feb 2012NHS Information CentreStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2012

2011

15 Dec 2011NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2010, Respiratory health
7 Dec 2011Cancer Research UKCigarettes, diet, alcohol and obesity behind more than 100,000 cancers
3 Nov 2011Cancer Research UKCancer is the biggest premature killer
13 Oct 2011DHHealthy Lives, Healthy People: A Call to Action on Obesity in England
24 Feb 2011NHS Information CentreStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2011

2010

22 Dec 2010Cancer Research UKNew study shows that cancer survival is improving, but there's more work to be done
16 Dec 2010NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2009, Health and lifestyles
30 Nov 2010DHHealthy Lives, Healthy People: our strategy for public health in England
20 Oct 2010NHS Information CentreQuality and Outcomes Framework – 2009-10
10 Feb 2010NHS Information CentreStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2010

2009

17 Dec 2009NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2008: Physical activity and fitness
3 Dec 2009Cancer Research UKEarly diagnosis saves lives – and here's the evidence
1 Jul 2009NHS Information CentreNational Diabetes Audit – 2007-08
25 Feb 2009NHS Information CentreStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2009
3 Feb 2009DHLiving Well With Dementia: a national dementia strategy

2008

16 Dec 2008NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2007, Latest trends
1 Dec 2008NHS Information CentreNational Diabetes Audit – 2006-07
14 Oct 2008Cancer Research UKChance of dying from cancer is falling
31 Jan 2008NHS Information CentreStatistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2008
31 Jan 2008NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2006, CVD and risk factors for adults, obesity and risk factors for children

2007

14 Nov 2007Cancer Research UKNanny-stateism, pesticides and Kylie – public reaction to the WCRF report
17 Oct 2007Government Office for ScienceReducing obesity: future choices
1 Oct 2007NHS Information CentreNational Diabetes Audit – 2005-06
17 Aug 2007Cancer Research UKHalf of smokers have cut down since ban
23 Mar 2007NHS Information CentreHealth Survey for England – 2005, Health of Older People

Photo list

A person checking their blood pressure with a home monitor on the arm — File photo: checking blood pressure at home. Photo: Beendy234 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

The riverside buildings of St Thomas' Hospital in London — File photo: St Thomas’ Hospital, London. Photo: Soham Banerjee via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

How this page is built. Figures come from the official statistical releases linked above; where agencies publish provisional numbers we say so, because they are revised. UK statistics are often published separately for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so we say which area each figure covers. Photos are public-domain, Creative Commons or Open Government Licence images credited in each caption; file photos are illustrative and are not from the events described unless the caption says so. This page tracks trends and is not personal safety, medical, legal or financial advice.