The UK’s mortality rate has hit its highest levels during the pandemic since World War Two.
The country recorded 120,400 more deaths from all causes than expected from the start of the pandemic to 31 December 2021. Of these, 72,900 occurred in 2020 and 47,500 in 2021.
Data from the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) revealed the country’s mortality for 2021 as a whole was 6.9% higher than 2019, but 5.7% lower than in 2020.
The data also found that while mortality for those aged 65+ was 7.1% lower in 2021 than in 2020, mortality for under-65s was around 3.1% higher than in 2020.
The CMI monitor is based on provisional England & Wales deaths data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The number of excess deaths in 2021 varied significantly by quarter – matching the respective Covid-19 waves.
There were 34,300 more deaths than expected in the first quarter, 9,900 fewer than expected in the second quarter, 10,900 more than expected in the third quarter, and 12,200 more than expected in the fourth quarter.
Looking at data across the pandemic, mortality for the two year period 2020-21 is 5.5% above the 2015-19 average.
Cobus Daneel, chairman of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee, said: “Although weekly excess mortality in the second half of 2021 hasn’t been nearly as high as the peaks of earlier waves, it has been persistent.
“This has led to nearly as many excess deaths in the second half of 2021 as in the first half.
“Taken together, 2020-2021 has been a remarkable two-year period, with a greater increase in mortality than we have seen since World War II.”
