Air Quality Update

Emma Hardy Excerpts

Thursday 16th April 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)]

This statement fulfils the requirement under section 80A of Environment Act 1995, to update Parliament on the progress and steps taken to meet air quality standards and objectives in England over financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Air quality across the UK has shown sustained improvement over recent decades with emissions of all key air pollutants showing a declining trend. These long- term reductions mean the UK has met the current domestic and international emission reduction commitments for emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, non-methane volatile organic compounds and fine particulate matter—PM_2.5.

This progress matters for people’s everyday lives: cleaner air helps protect health, supports thriving neighbourhoods and contributes to the Government’s ambition to improve pride in place. Cleaner air also supports sustainable economic growth by helping people stay healthier and in work, improving productivity and making our towns and cities more attractive places to live, visit and invest in.

Protecting public health and the environment remains at the heart of our approach. PM_2.5 is the most harmful pollutant to human health. Under the Environment Act 2021, we are delivering against two separate Environment Act 2021 targets for PM_2.5—one to reduce maximum PM_2.5 concentration levels and one for reducing the population’s overall exposure. In 2024, the maximum PM_2.5 concentration level measured was 11 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Separately, PM_2.5 population exposure in England has reduced by 25% compared with 2018.

In the environmental improvement plan 2025, the Government increased the ambition of both PM_2.5 interim targets. We will review the 2040 statutory targets for PM_2.5.

We are also seeing progress locally. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of air quality management areas for nitrogen dioxide fell from 435 to 352, a 19% reduction, as locations achieved sustained compliance with the standards and objectives. Nitrogen dioxide exceedances reported by local authorities fell again in 2024, continuing a downward trend.

Building on this strong progress, we are continuing to take ambitious and targeted action across key sectors to meet our air quality standards and objectives, including:

Clarifying delivery priorities through a rapid review and revision of the environmental improvement plan setting out clear, measurable actions.

Embedding PM_2.5 targets into planning decisions through interim guidance and we have launched a pilot to trial more comprehensive guidance with planning authorities and developers.

Strengthening public communication by acting on an expert-led review to make air quality part of everyday conversations and commenced work on an air quality communications toolkit for directors of public health. This included establishing a new partnership bringing together communicators from the Government, healthcare professionals, and the NGO sector.

Improving transparency by modernising public access to air quality information via new gov.uk pages and a dedicated data service.

Enabling better local delivery by running practical webinars and providing detailed guidance to help local authorities develop more effective action plans.

Launching a consultation on a comprehensive package of interventions to cut fine particulate emissions from domestic burning, including more stringent emission standards for stoves, mandatory labelling of stoves and fuels and raised penalties for non-compliance.

Setting out the Government’s pathway for a strengthened environmental permitting regime for industry that supports quicker uptake of best available techniques, promotes innovation and improves regulator efficiency.

In July 2025, the Government published “Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England”, which reinforces the importance of prevention and action on the wider determinants of health. This includes commitments to reduce harmful exposures and improve awareness of, and communications on, the health impacts of issues such as air pollution. We are supporting the Government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future by continuing to clean up the air and protect the public from the harms of pollution.

While the direction of travel is positive, we know there is more to do to ensure everyone benefits from cleaner air. We will continue to tackle air pollution at all levels—helping individuals make informed choices, supporting local communities to take action, delivering national changes, and pursuing co-ordinated international action for the benefit of both the UK and the wider global community. We will continue to keep our regulatory framework under review to ensure it remains effective, proportionate and fit for the 21st century.

A further update to the House on our progress will be provided after the end of the financial year 2026-27.

[HCWS1520]