​FOI ref: FOI/2022/4464

You asked

There are many sets of contradictory stats regarding the total U.K. Covid Death numbers.

Updated to the latest figures available, can you advise on the total number of Covid related deaths, inclusive of excess deaths in the U.K?

My best estimate would be Circa 310,000.

We said

Thank you for your request.

We (the ONS) are responsible for the analysis of mortality data for England and Wales. However, in collaboration with National Records Scotland (NRS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), we produce provisional weekly Coronavirus (COVID-19) mortality figures in the UK. These are updated every Tuesday in the following publication: Provisional figures on deaths registered weekly. Please see Table 6 for UK data.

In 2022 so far, there have been 30,818 deaths involving COVID-19 in the UK as of the week ending 23 September 2022, with 26,756 in England and Wales.

This publication also includes provisional data for 2020 and 2021, however, please note, these figures have since been finalised and therefore may not be accurate. Finalised figures include any delayed death registrations, which are caused by a referral to a coroner for investigation.

Finalised data for Scotland and Northern Ireland for 2020 and 2021 are available from National Records Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

COVID-19 deaths in England and Wales

The following publication reports that there were 77,727 deaths registered involving COVID-19 in England and Wales, and in 2020, there were 81,795 deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales: Deaths due to COVID-19, registered in England and Wales.

To summarise:

186,276 deaths involving COVID-19 registered in England and Wales as of 23 September 2022.

2022 - 26,756 (provisional data)

2021 - 77,727

2020 - 81,795

We use the term "due to COVID-19" when referring only to deaths with an underlying cause of death as COVID-19 and we use the term "involving COVID-19"when referring to deaths that had COVID-19 mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, whether as an underlying cause or not. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) definition has been used.

If you have any further enquiries, please contact Health.Data@ons.gov.uk.