Overall mortality in the first half of 2025 was lower than in the first half of any other year, and 0.5% of a full year’s mortality lower than in the first half of 2024.
However men aged 45-64 continue to die at higher rates than pre-pandemic levels.
This according to the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) which publishes mortality analysis for England & Wales through its mortality monitors.
The key points of its latest update which cover the period to 27 June 2025 are:
- The record low for overall mortality is driven by pensioner ages and there is considerable variation by age and sex.
- Mortality in the first half of 2025 was 5% lower than the 2015-2024 average for males and females aged 75-84, but only 0.2% below the 2015-2024 average for males aged 45-64.
- There were around 2,300 deaths involving Covid-19 registered in the first half of 2025 compared to around 5,300 in the first half of 2024 and 11,700 in the first half of 2023.
Cobus Daneel, chairman of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee, (pictured) said: “Overall mortality in the first half of 2025 was at a historic low. For most age groups, the last twenty-four months have seen stable low levels of mortality. A notable exception to this is males aged 45-64, whose mortality remains above pre-pandemic levels.
“Deaths recorded as involving Covid-19 have continued to fall, accounting for fewer than 1% of deaths in the first half of 2025.”