Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death was 2.7% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death 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 %.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 2.7% for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in 2021. That is the highest value across all 72 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 37.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 2.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1980.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 69th out of 113 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.2% | — |
| 1951 | 2.1% | -6.9% |
| 1952 | 1.8% | -12.2% |
| 1953 | 1.7% | -5.3% |
| 1954 | 1.9% | +7.8% |
| 1955 | 1.9% | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 1.7% | -6.8% |
| 1957 | 1.5% | -13.2% |
| 1958 | 1.6% | +5.8% |
| 1959 | 1.5% | -5.7% |
| 1960 | 1.4% | -7.6% |
| 1961 | 1.3% | -7.9% |
| 1962 | 1.2% | -8.5% |
| 1963 | 1.1% | -9.6% |
| 1964 | 0.9% | -11.7% |
| 1965 | 0.8% | -9.5% |
| 1966 | 0.8% | -4.9% |
| 1967 | 0.7% | -9.3% |
| 1968 | 0.7% | -5.3% |
| 1969 | 0.6% | -7.3% |
| 1970 | 0.6% | -8.4% |
| 1971 | 0.6% | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 0.6% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | -5.0% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -3.7% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | -45.0% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -14.1% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -2.9% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +14.6% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | +31.9% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | +14.2% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +11.6% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | +20.9% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +12.3% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | +9.9% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | +14.1% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +26.4% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +21.4% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | +24.1% |
| 1996 | 1.7% | +11.3% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +15.9% |
| 1998 | 2.2% | +14.2% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | -13.5% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 2.0% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +11.5% |
| 2019 | 2.4% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 66 Saint Lucia 3.1% compare
- 67 Czechia 3.0% compare
- 68 Kyrgyzstan 2.7% compare
- 70 Slovenia 2.6% compare
- 71 Hong Kong, China 2.5% compare
- 72 Trinidad and Tobago 2.5% 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 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, annual growth rate -2.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, male, per capita 0.0293 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, annual growth rate -0.2268 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 2.7% in 2021, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 69th out of 113 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total reported deaths in both sexes in those aged all ages that are from ill-defined diseases.