TB rates in England stay level in 2025, but need to fall further
UKHSA is reminding people to be aware of TB symptoms to ensure prompt testing and treatment
Annual data published today by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that tuberculosis (TB) notifications in England in 2025 (5,449 notifications) remain level with 2024 (5,485 notifications), after significant increases in previous years:
- 2022: 4,380 notifications
- 2023: 4,831 notifications
The TB notification rate in England in 2025 was 9.26 per 100,000 population, similar to the rate of 9.36 per 100,000 in 2024.
However, substantial declines still need to happen to tackle TB as a public health issue in England.
Provisional data for the first three quarters of 2026 suggest notifications are falling, with notifications down 8.2% compared with the same period in 2025.
Demographic trends in TB notifications in 2025 were similar to previous years:
- 82.3% of TB notifications were in people born outside of the UK, compared to 82% in 2024
- rates remained highest in urban areas, with the most notifications reported in London (20.2 per 100,000)
- disparity grew between socioeconomic groups (of the 10% of people living in the most deprived areas of England, notifications have steadily increased from 14.5 per 100,000 in 2019, 17.5 per 100,000 in 2024 and 19.4 per 100,000 in 2025)
- people living in the most deprived areas were 6.9 times more likely to be diagnosed with TB than the least deprived areas in 2025
- among UK-born individuals, TB remains broadly stable in those experiencing homelessness, drug or alcohol dependency, and contact with the criminal justice system, which are known TB risk factors
Work to reduce notifications in at-risk populations is crucial. This includes targeted testing and communications to increase awareness of TB, which is ongoing as part of the current TB Action Plan.
The proportion of people with multi-drug resistant TB notifications was also similar, with 2.1% of people in 2025 found to be affected compared to 2.2% in 2024. This type of TB requires longer and more complex treatment, placing additional burdens on health services.
Dr Esther Robinson, Head of the TB Unit at UKHSA, said:
While notifications haven’t increased in the past year, TB remains a serious public health issue. It’s important that everyone is aware of the symptoms to ensure prompt testing and treatment, so that we can bring TB levels down significantly.
If you have moved to England from a country where TB is more common, please make sure you know the symptoms of TB so you can get promptly tested and treated through your GP surgery.
Not every persistent cough, along with a fever, is caused by flu or COVID-19. A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than 3 weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB. Please speak to your GP if you think you could be at risk.
TB is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. It is a bacterial infection that most frequently affects the lungs, which is when it is infectious.
Work is ongoing to develop the new TB National Action Plan. It will focus on improving the prevention, detection and control of TB in England, prioritising the most effective interventions and addressing health inequalities. Until its publication, the current TB Action Plan is available for organisations to support existing commitments.