The ONS has published the latest figures for deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales. These figures represent official statistics of those deaths registered in 2025, where further national and localised analysis will be provided by PHW as part of their annual Drug Related Mortality report.
England and Wales
- Across England and Wales 5,519 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in 2025, equivalent to an age-standardised mortality rate of 92.4 deaths per million people; this is lower than the rate recorded in 2023 (93.9 deaths per million) when there were 5,565 registered deaths.
- Nearly two-thirds (or 3,615) of registered drug poisoning deaths were related to drug misuse accounting for 60.6 deaths per million people.
- Opiates and Opioids are involved in 2,324 of drug poisonings registered in 2025, representing 42.1% of deaths. This represents a 11.3% reduction compared to 2024 where 2,324 deaths were reported.
- Heroin and morphine continued to be the most frequently listed opioid with 1,210 drug poisoning deaths mentioning either one of these substances in 2025
- Deaths involving Nitazenes decreased from 195 in 2024 to 150 in 2025. However, the number remained almost three times higher than in 2023 (52 deaths)
- Cocaine was the most frequently mentioned specific substance involved in drug-poisoning deaths registered in 2025, with 1,233 deaths, overtaking heroin or morphine (1,210 deaths) for the first time. This represents the 15th consecutive annual rise in registered deaths involving cocaine. In 2025, males accounted for 79.8% of the deaths involving cocaine (984 males compared with 249 females).
- Of all drug-poisoning deaths in 2025, other significant drugs that were mentioned on the death certificate were: Benzodiazepines (596 deaths), Pregabalin (581 deaths), Gabapentin (162 deaths), Ketamine (115 deaths), Amphetamine (103 deaths), Synthetic Cannabinoids (95 deaths), and Ecstasy/MDMA (89 deaths). Compared to 2024, mentions of Gabapentin, Ketamine, Synthetic Cannabinoids and Ecstasy/MDMA increased in 2025.
Wales
- In Wales 422 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in 2025, this represents a 1.2% increase compared to 2024 when there were 417 registered deaths. This is equivalent to an age-standardised mortality rate of 141.3 deaths per million. Rates of deaths remain higher in Wales when compared to England (89.5 deaths per million).
- Drug misuse deaths represented 288 (just over two-thirds) of registered drug poisoning deaths in Wales, accounting for 97.8 deaths per million people in 2024. This represents no change in the number of deaths compared to 2024, where 288 deaths were registered (97.4 deaths per million people).
- In 2025, the median registration delay for drug poisonings in Wales remains high at 253.0 days (253.0 days for drug misuse), down from 289.0 in the previous year. Registration delays in Wales have declined considerably since the peak observed in 2021 (post COVID-19 pandemic) where 325.5 days were reported. However, delays remain considerably higher than those reported in England (209.0 days).
Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
- In 2025, 34 drug misuse deaths were registered in the Cardiff and Vale APB area (28 in Cardiff, 6 in Vale of Glamorgan), a decrease of 19.0% from the 42 deaths registered in 2024.
- Compared to other APB regions the Cardiff and Vale APB saw the third lowest number of drug misuse deaths registered in 2025, with Gwent (Aneurin Bevan) seeing the highest (62 drug misuse deaths in 2025).
- In Cardiff, the three-year rolling age-standardised mortality rate for 2023-25 was 7.8 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people. This represents an increase in rate since 2022-24 (6.9 deaths per 100,000 people), and sits below the Welsh rate (9.4 deaths per 100,000) for this period.
- In the Vale of Glamorgan, the three-year rolling age-standardised mortality rate for 2023-25 was 6.7 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people. This represents a decrease in rate since 2022-24 (7.5 deaths per 100,000 people), and sits below the Welsh rate (9.4 deaths per 100,000) for this period.
- The Local Authorities with the highest three-year rolling age-standardised mortality rate for 2023-25 include; Methyr Tydfil (17.3 deaths per 100,000 people), Swansea (15.3 deaths per 100,000 people), Bridgend (13.4 deaths per 100,000 people), Rhondda Cynon Taf (13.1 deaths per 100,000 people), and Newport (11.4 deaths per 100,000 people)
For further detail on the report and statistics please see:
