Number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Number of child deaths was 3,213 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
3,213 deaths
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
84th
of 199 countries
All-time high
24,110 deaths
in 1962
All-time low
3,090 deaths
in 2021
Years of data
70
1955–2024

Number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1955–2024

5.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k25.0k195519892024

Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.

Analysis

In 2024, number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 3,213 deaths.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 9.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 24,110 deaths in 1962 and was at its lowest, 3,090 deaths, in 2021.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 84th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1955 to 2024.
Year deaths Change
1955 23,393 deaths
1956 22,991 deaths -1.7%
1957 23,026 deaths +0.2%
1958 23,134 deaths +0.5%
1959 23,222 deaths +0.4%
1960 23,497 deaths +1.2%
1961 23,876 deaths +1.6%
1962 24,110 deaths +1.0%
1963 24,090 deaths -0.1%
1964 23,776 deaths -1.3%
1965 23,119 deaths -2.8%
1966 22,261 deaths -3.7%
1967 21,417 deaths -3.8%
1968 20,650 deaths -3.6%
1969 19,899 deaths -3.6%
1970 19,128 deaths -3.9%
1971 18,326 deaths -4.2%
1972 17,186 deaths -6.2%
1973 15,759 deaths -8.3%
1974 14,399 deaths -8.6%
1975 13,111 deaths -8.9%
1976 11,989 deaths -8.6%
1977 11,089 deaths -7.5%
1978 10,597 deaths -4.4%
1979 10,508 deaths -0.8%
1980 10,333 deaths -1.7%
1981 9,781 deaths -5.3%
1982 9,161 deaths -6.3%
1983 8,750 deaths -4.5%
1984 8,482 deaths -3.1%
1985 8,362 deaths -1.4%
1986 8,273 deaths -1.1%
1987 8,166 deaths -1.3%
1988 8,005 deaths -2.0%
1989 7,673 deaths -4.1%
1990 7,301 deaths -4.8%
1991 6,894 deaths -5.6%
1992 6,432 deaths -6.7%
1993 5,994 deaths -6.8%
1994 5,636 deaths -6.0%
1995 5,364 deaths -4.8%
1996 5,180 deaths -3.4%
1997 5,053 deaths -2.5%
1998 4,914 deaths -2.8%
1999 4,753 deaths -3.3%
2000 4,573 deaths -3.8%
2001 4,413 deaths -3.5%
2002 4,313 deaths -2.3%
2003 4,307 deaths -0.1%
2004 4,347 deaths +0.9%
2005 4,341 deaths -0.1%
2006 4,343 deaths +0.0%
2007 4,365 deaths +0.5%
2008 4,352 deaths -0.3%
2009 4,257 deaths -2.2%
2010 4,135 deaths -2.9%
2011 4,022 deaths -2.7%
2012 3,897 deaths -3.1%
2013 3,723 deaths -4.5%
2014 3,561 deaths -4.4%
2015 3,487 deaths -2.1%
2016 3,438 deaths -1.4%
2017 3,367 deaths -2.1%
2018 3,269 deaths -2.9%
2019 3,183 deaths -2.6%
2020 3,105 deaths -2.5%
2021 3,090 deaths -0.5%
2022 3,133 deaths +1.4%
2023 3,176 deaths +1.4%
2024 3,213 deaths +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 23,153 deaths 22,991 deaths 23,393 deaths 5
1960s 22,670 deaths 19,899 deaths 24,110 deaths 10
1970s 14,209 deaths 10,508 deaths 19,128 deaths 10
1980s 8,699 deaths 7,673 deaths 10,333 deaths 10
1990s 5,752 deaths 4,753 deaths 7,301 deaths 10
2000s 4,361 deaths 4,257 deaths 4,573 deaths 10
2010s 3,608 deaths 3,183 deaths 4,135 deaths 10
2020s 3,143 deaths 3,090 deaths 3,213 deaths 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 81 Eritrea 3,392 deaths compare
  2. 82 Lesotho 3,308 deaths compare
  3. 83 Saudi Arabia 3,241 deaths compare
  4. 85 Jordan 3,048 deaths compare
  5. 86 Namibia 3,038 deaths compare
  6. 87 France 2,815 deaths compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 3,213 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest number of child deaths recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 24,110 deaths in 1962.
What is the lowest number of child deaths recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 3,090 deaths in 2021.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for number of child deaths?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 84th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
Is number of child deaths rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. 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 United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of child deaths in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-child-deaths-igme/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of child deaths
Unit
deaths
Source
United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
199 places, 11,992 data points, 1955–2024
Last refreshed

Estimated number of deaths of children aged under 5 .