Death rate from cancer in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Death rate from cancer was 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
109.75 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 4.4%
World rank
28th
of 111 countries
All-time high
173.01 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1984
All-time low
109.75 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2021
Years of data
72
1950–2021
Death rate from cancer in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1950–2021
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people for death rate from cancer in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 72 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.4% on the previous year and down 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from cancer in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 173.01 deaths per 100,000 people in 1984 and was at its lowest, 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2021.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 28th out of 111 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 72 years of available data.
Death rate from cancer in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 157.27 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 156.83 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 157.6 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 156.57 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1954 | 158.21 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 158.47 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 158.97 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 158.42 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 159.74 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 160.26 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 160.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1961 | 160.1 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 161.06 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 161.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 162.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 162.86 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 163.62 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 163.99 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 166.82 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 167.95 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 167.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 166.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 167.56 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 168.03 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 168.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 167.83 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 170.6 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 168.82 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 170.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 170.48 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 169.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 166.65 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 166.69 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 168.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 173.01 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 172.44 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 170.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 170.62 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 171.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 170.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 168.83 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 167.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 166.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 162.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 160.52 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 158.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 155.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 151.53 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 150.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 147.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 144.53 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 146.44 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 145.15 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 142.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 139.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 138 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 137.01 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 135.9 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 134.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 131.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 130.03 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 129.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 128.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 126.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 124.72 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 123.35 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 122.72 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 120 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 121.39 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 116.21 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 114.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 158.23 deaths per 100,000 people | 156.57 deaths per 100,000 people | 160.26 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 163.04 deaths per 100,000 people | 160.1 deaths per 100,000 people | 167.95 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 168.66 deaths per 100,000 people | 166.66 deaths per 100,000 people | 170.6 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 170.03 deaths per 100,000 people | 166.65 deaths per 100,000 people | 173.01 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 158.93 deaths per 100,000 people | 147.34 deaths per 100,000 people | 168.83 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 139.53 deaths per 100,000 people | 131.59 deaths per 100,000 people | 146.44 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 124.24 deaths per 100,000 people | 116.21 deaths per 100,000 people | 130.03 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 112.3 deaths per 100,000 people | 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people | 114.85 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 25 Ireland 110.58 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 26 French Guiana 110.38 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 27 Bulgaria 110.27 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 29 Germany 109.29 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 30 Netherlands 108.83 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 31 North Macedonia 108.6 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.9864 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0827 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.087 units per person (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate from cancer in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Death rate from cancer in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate from cancer recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 173.01 deaths per 100,000 people in 1984.
- What is the lowest death rate from cancer recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 109.75 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for death rate from cancer?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 28th out of 111 countries with data for 2021.
- Is death rate from cancer rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate from cancer. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 72 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Reported deaths from malignant neoplasms in both sexes in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.