FOI reference: FOI-2025-2945
You asked
Could you please provide:
a) All data held by the Office for National Statistics relating to death and injuries as a result of falls from windows and balconies over the last 5 years - please break this down annually.
b) The age of the people in A
We said
Thank you for your request.
We are responsible for the production of mortality and births statistics pertaining to England and Wales. These are derived from information collected at the registration of death. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for statistics pertaining to Scotland and Northern Ireland. They can be contacted at foi@nrscotland.gov.uk and info@nisra.gov.uk respectively.
Our mortality statistics are based on information collected during the death registration process. This includes details from both the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) and the official registration record.
All of the conditions mentioned on the death certificate are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). From all of these causes an underlying cause of death is selected using ICD-10 coding rules.
The underlying cause of death is defined by World Health Organisation (WHO) as:
a) the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death, or
b) the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury
For deaths due to a fall from a window or balcony, the ICD-10 code is W13. Please note this ICD-10 code also include falls from other buildings and structures, we are unable to separate falls specifically from a window or balcony only.
You can use our interactive webservice Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics which will provide deaths by underlying cause, age and location from 2013 to 2023.
The associated download provides an extract from NOMIS showing deaths registered in England and Wales with fall from other buildings or structures by 5-year age group for 2019-2023.
NOMIS is updated with the previous year's data annually.
If you would like any further information, please contact health.data@ons.gov.uk.
We do not hold information related to injuries related to fall, NHS England may be better placed to assist. Please contact NHS England by emailing england.contactus@nhs.net.