Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Sections
  • News

Deaths in England and Wales fall to record low in third quarter

Open-access content Tuesday 6th October 2020
Deaths in England and Wales fall to record low in third quarter

The number of deaths in England and Wales between July and September of 2020 was lower than in any other quarter on record, despite year-to-date mortality being the highest seen since 2008.

The findings from the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) also show that the 215 COVID-19 deaths registered between 19 September and 25 September (week 39) was higher than at any point since July, although still relatively low compared to during the peak of the pandemic.

Considering weeks 37 to 39 together, there were 0.3% more deaths registered in England and Wales than over the corresponding weeks of 2019. In the previous three-week period – weeks 34 to 36 – deaths were 3% lower than expected.

“Despite the September increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalisations, mortality in Q3 2020 remained at a similar level to Q3 2019,” said Cobus Daneel, chair of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee. “We will continue to closely monitor the figures.”

Owned by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, the CMI has been publishing analysis of the UK's mortality rate during the coronavirus crisis through its mortality monitor, which is based on figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Its latest update shows that, at the start of the third quarter, cumulative standardised mortality for 2020 was 7.0% above the 2010-2019 average, but fell to 5.5% above the 10-year average over the following three months.

It also shows that the cumulative mortality improvement for 2020 was -10.9% at the start of the third quarter, and had fallen to -10.4% at the quarter's end.

In total, the CMI estimates that there have been around 60,400 'excess deaths' in the UK since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to mortality last year, which is a decrease of around 4,000 on a previous estimate.

The CMI intends to publish its next mortality monitor for week 41 on 20 October 2020.

 

Image credit: iStock

Author: Chris Seekings

You may also be interested in...

Employer health care costs to rise by 8% in 2021

Employer health care costs to rise by 8% in 2021

Employer-sponsored health care benefit costs are expected to increase by more than 8% around the globe next year, a survey of medical insurers by Willis Towers Watson (WTW) has found.
Friday 9th October 2020
Open-access content
CMI launches consultation on mortality modelling

CMI launches consultation on mortality modelling

The Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) has launched a consultation on how its next model should incorporate mortality data for 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Wednesday 23rd September 2020
Open-access content
Deaths in England and Wales in line with pre-pandemic trend

Deaths in England and Wales in line with pre-pandemic trend

Mortality rates in England and Wales are currently similar to those recorded in 2019, despite a recent increase in COVID-19 deaths, analysis by the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) has found.
Wednesday 21st October 2020
Open-access content
CMI publishes its latest mortality update

CMI publishes its latest mortality update

There were 700 more deaths in England and Wales during weeks 33 and 34 of this year than in the correspondng period for 2019, analysis by the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) has found.
Wednesday 16th September 2020
Open-access content
Study links 15% of COVID-19 deaths to air pollution

Study links 15% of COVID-19 deaths to air pollution

A new scientific study has linked 15% of worldwide COVID-19 deaths with long-term exposure to air pollution, with the figure rising to as high as 27% in East Asia.
Wednesday 28th October 2020
Open-access content
'Excess deaths' return to England and Wales

'Excess deaths' return to England and Wales

Mortality rates in England and Wales have returned to higher levels than those recorded in 2019, bringing an end to four weeks of no 'excess deaths', the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) has found.
Tuesday 3rd November 2020
Open-access content
Also filed in
News
Topics
Health care
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Senior Reserving Analyst

London (City of)
Negotiable
Reference
149485

Senior GI Modeler - Capital and Planning

London (Central)
£ excellent
Reference
149436

Risk Oversight Manager

Flexible / hybrid with a minimum of 2 days per week office-based
£ excellent
Reference
149435
See all jobs »
 
 

Today's top reads

 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2023 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ