The leading underlying causes of death is based on a list developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). This categorises causes using the International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD-10), specially designed for determining the leading causes of death. The list was modified in 2016 for use in England and Wales, it was first used on 2015 mortality data. The previous version is available. Our explorable datasets available within NOMIS use the revised list.
Table 1: Leading causes of death in England and Wales (revised 2015)
ICD-10 codes | Cause of death groups |
A00–A09 | Intestinal infectious diseases |
A15–A19, B90 | Tuberculosis |
A20, A44, A75–A79, A82–A84, A85.2, A90–A98, B50–B57 | Vector–borne diseases and rabies |
A33–A37, A39, A41.3, A49.2, A80, A82, A83.0, A95, B01, B02, B05, B06, B15, B16, B17.0, B18.0, B18.1, B26, B91, G14 | Vaccine-preventable diseases |
A39, A87, G00–G03 | Meningitis and meningococcal infection |
A40–A41 | Septicaemia |
B20–B24 | Human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] disease |
C00–C97 | Malignant neoplasms |
C15 | Malignant neoplasm of oesophagus |
C16 | Malignant neoplasm of stomach |
C18–C21 | Malignant neoplasm of colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus |
C22 | Malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile ducts |
C23-C24 | Malignant neoplasm of gallbladder and other parts of biliary tract |
C25 | Malignant neoplasm of pancreas |
C32 | Malignant neoplasm of larynx |
C33-C34 | Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung |
C40–C41 | Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage |
C43-C44 | Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin |
C50 | Malignant neoplasms of breast |
C53–C55 | Malignant neoplasm of uterus |
C56 | Malignant neoplasm of ovary |
C61 | Malignant neoplasm of prostate |
C64 | Malignant neoplasm of kidney, except renal pelvis |
C67 | Malignant neoplasm of bladder |
C71 | Malignant neoplasm of brain |
C81–C96 | Malignant neoplasms, stated or presumed to be primary of lymphoid, haematopoietic and related tissue |
D00–D48 | In situ and benign neoplasms, and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behaviour |
E10–E14 | Diabetes |
D50–D53, E40–E64 | Malnutrition, nutritional anaemias and other nutritional deficiencies |
E86–E87 | Disorders of fluid, electrolyte and acid–base balance (incl. dehydration) |
F01, F03, G30 | Dementia and Alzheimer disease |
F10–F19 | Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use |
G10–G12 | Systemic atrophies primarily affecting the central nervous system |
G20 | Parkinson disease |
G40-G41 | Epilepsy and status epilepticus |
G80–G83 | Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes |
I05–I09 | Chronic rheumatic heart diseases |
I10–I15 | Hypertensive diseases |
I20–I25 | Ischaemic heart diseases |
I26–I28 | Pulmonary heart disease and diseases of pulmonary circulation |
I34–I38 | Nonrheumatic valve disorders and endocarditis |
I42 | Cardiomyopathy |
I46 | Cardiac arrest |
I47–I49 | Cardiac arrhythmias |
I50–I51 | Heart failure and complications and ill–defined heart disease |
I60–I69 | Cerebrovascular diseases |
I70 | Atherosclerosis |
I71 | Aortic aneurysm and dissection |
J00–J06, J20–J22 | Acute respiratory infections other than influenza and pneumonia |
J09–J18 | Influenza and pneumonia |
J40–J47 | Chronic lower respiratory diseases |
J80–J84 | Pulmonary oedema and other interstitial pulmonary diseases |
J96 | Respiratory failure |
K35–K46, K56 | Appendicitis, hernia and intestinal obstruction |
K70–K76 | Cirrhosis and other diseases of liver |
M00–M99 | Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue |
N00–N39 | Diseases of the urinary system |
O00–O99 | Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium |
P00–P96 | Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period |
Q00–Q99 | Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities |
V01–X59 | Accidents |
V01–V89 | Land transport accidents |
W00–W19 | Accidental falls |
W32–W34 | Non-intentional firearm discharge |
W65–W74 | Accidental drowning and submersion |
W75–W84 | Accidental threats to breathing |
X40–X49 | Accidental poisoning |
X60–X84, Y10–Y34 | Suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent1 |
U50.9, X85–Y09, Y87.1 | Homicide and probable homicide |
R00-R99 | Symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions |
Source: Office for National Statistics | |
Notes: | |
1. In England and Wales, a conclusion of suicide cannot be returned for children under the age of 10 years. The definition for suicides used in publications includes deaths from children aged 10 and over. From the ages 10 to 14 the cause of death would be Intentional self-harm and for those aged 15 and over it would be Intentional self-harm and event of undetermined intent. |