In 2021, the infant mortality rate in the United Kingdom was four deaths one year per 1,000 live births, one of the lowest infant mortality rate in this period. Infant mortality has fallen considerably since 1900, when there were 150 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

Live births, stillbirths and linked infant deaths occurring annually in England and Wales, and associated risk factors.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births in the United Kingdom was four. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 18.9, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

United Kingdom UK: Mortality Rate: Neonatal: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 2.600 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.700 Ratio for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Mortality Rate: Neonatal: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 4.800 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.100 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 2.600 Ratio in 2016. United Kingdom UK: Mortality Rate: Neonatal: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Health Statistics. Neonatal mortality rate is the number of neonates dying before reaching 28 days of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries.

UNICEF's country profile for United Kingdom, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

Forecast: Number of Neonatal Deaths in the UK 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

The child mortality rate in the United Kingdom, for children under the age of five, was 329 deaths per thousand births in 1800. This means that approximately one in every three children born in 1800 did not make it to their fifth birthday. Over the course of the next 220 years, this number has dropped drastically, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century, and the rate has dropped to its lowest point ever in 2020 where it is just four deaths per thousand births.

Annual statistics on births and infant deaths based on babies born in a calendar year that died before their first birthday linked to their corresponding birth notification and their corresponding death registration.

The rate of stillbirths and deaths within 28 days of birth per 1,000 live births and still births.

Current version updated: Jun-17

Next version due: Jun-18

Historical dataset showing U.K. infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

The infant mortality rate in the United Kingdom, for children under the age of one (twelve months), was 31.7 deaths per thousand births in 1950. Approximately 3.2 percent of children born in 1950 did not survive past their first birthday. Over the course of the next 70 years, this number has dropped significantly. It amounted to just four deaths per thousand births in the period between 2015 and 2020, the lowest figure recorded.

Forecast: Infant Mortality Rate in the UK 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Infant Mortality Rate in the UK 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Live births, stillbirths and infant deaths by ethnicity of the baby, England and Wales, 2007 to 2019

Forecast: Male Infant Mortality Rate in the UK 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

This dataset presents the crude rate of neonatal mortality, defined as the number of deaths of infants aged under 28 days per 1,000 live births. It is a vital indicator of perinatal and maternal health, reflecting the quality of antenatal, intrapartum, and neonatal care services.

Rationale Reducing neonatal mortality is a key public health goal. Elevated rates may indicate challenges in maternal health, access to quality healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth, or complications in the early neonatal period. Monitoring this indicator supports efforts to improve maternity services and early life outcomes.

Numerator The numerator is the number of deaths of infants aged under 28 days registered during the relevant period. Data are sourced from the Deaths Register.

Denominator The denominator is the number of live births registered during the same period. Births are assigned to geographical areas based on the mother’s usual residence. Data are sourced from the Births Register.

Caveats Live births are geographically assigned based on the mother’s usual residence, which may differ from the location of the birth or death. This should be considered when interpreting local-level data.

External References Fingertips Public Health Profiles – Neonatal Mortality Rate

Localities ExplainedThis dataset contains data based on either the resident locality or registered locality of the patient, a distinction is made between resident locality and registered locality populations:Resident Locality refers to individuals who live within the defined geographic boundaries of the locality. These boundaries are aligned with official administrative areas such as wards and Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs).Registered Locality refers to individuals who are registered with GP practices that are assigned to a locality based on the Primary Care Network (PCN) they belong to. These assignments are approximate—PCNs are mapped to a locality based on the location of most of their GP surgeries. As a result, locality-registered patients may live outside the locality, sometimes even in different towns or cities.This distinction is important because some health indicators are only available at GP practice level, without information on where patients actually reside. In such cases, data is attributed to the locality based on GP registration, not residential address.

Click here to explore more from the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Partnerships Outcome Framework.

Forecast: Female Infant Mortality Rate in the UK 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

These tables include data on live births, infant deaths, and infant mortality rates by ethnic group as well as on infant deaths, and infant mortality rates by cause of death and ethnic group.

Source agency: Office for National Statistics

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Infant mortality by ethnic group

Legacy unique identifier: P00725