Cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Cancer death rates by type was 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
3.12 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 4.4%
World rank
22nd
of 111 countries
All-time high
5.2 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1979
All-time low
3.12 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2021
Years of data
43
1979–2021
Cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1979–2021
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2021, cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 43 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.4% on the previous year and down 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2021.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 22nd out of 111 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1980 | 5.17 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 5.07 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 5 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 5.1 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 5.1 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 5.16 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 5.16 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 5.08 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 5.15 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 5.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 4.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 4.58 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 4.41 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 4.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 4.14 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2000 | 4.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 4.13 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 4.01 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 4.01 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.83 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 3.74 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 3.75 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 3.75 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 3.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 3.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 3.5 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 3.57 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 3.62 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 3.47 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 3.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 3.47 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 3.4 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 3.49 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 3.36 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 3.28 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 3.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 5.1 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.73 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.14 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.88 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.66 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.47 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.28 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.62 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.26 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 19 Armenia 3.22 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 20 Montenegro 3.2 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 21 Spain 3.16 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 23 Cuba 3.08 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 24 Republic of Moldova 3.04 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 25 Denmark 3.03 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)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 8 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 15 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1,347 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Cancer death rates by type in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 3.12 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 cancer death rates by type recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 1979.
- What is the lowest cancer death rates by type recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.12 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for cancer death rates by type?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 22nd out of 111 countries with data for 2021.
- Is cancer death rates by type rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.6%. 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 Cancer death rates by type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Reported deaths from bladder cancer in both sexes in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.