Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of deaths in the UK to date attributed to COVID-19.

The Government records deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the following ways: deaths that have COVID-19 recorded on their death certificate/registration; and any death that occurs 28 days after a positive COVID-19 test.

As of 24 March, 223,396 deaths in the United Kingdom have had COVID-19 recorded on death certificates/registrations.

As of 17 April, 213,637 deaths have been recorded in the UK 28 days after a positive COVID-19 test.

These two measures serve different purposes. Death registrations are a reference for overall death toll from COVID-19 (along with excess mortality estimates) and the 28-day death measure is most useful as a rapid indicator of death following COVID-19 infection, with peak utility when a new variant emerges, or during a new wave which requires timely monitoring of severity for public health purposes.