For journalists: key facts & statistics

This page contains key information about the following aspects of asthma in the UK:

Key facts

5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma: 1.1 million children (1 in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12).
There were 1,204 deaths from asthma in the UK in 2008 (29 were children aged 14 years or under).
On average, 3 people per day or 1 person every 7 hours dies from asthma.
An estimated 75% of hospital admissions for asthma are avoidable and as many as 90% of the deaths from asthma are preventable.
42% of people with allergies say that their allergies affects their social life.
61% of people with asthma say that their asthma stops them from getting a good night's sleep.
In Northern Ireland 182,000 people (1 in 10) are currently receiving treatment for asthma. This consists of 36,000 children and 146,000 adults.
In Scotland 368,000 people are currently receiving treatment for asthma. This consists of 72,000 children and 296,000 adults.
In Wales 314,000 people are currently receiving treatment for asthma. This consists of 59,000 children and 256,000 adults.

One in 11 children has asthma and it is the most common long-term medical condition.
On average there are two children with asthma in every classroom in the UK.
The UK has among the highest prevalence rates of asthma symptoms in children worldwide.
If one parent has asthma, the chance of their child developing asthma is approximately double that of children whose parents don't have asthma.
Every 17 minutes a child is admitted to hospital in the UK because of their asthma.
Smoking during pregnancy significantly increases your baby's risk of being wheezy or having breathing difficulties.
Children living in damp, mouldy homes are 1.5 to three times more likely to experience coughing and wheezing.
One in 8 children under 15 with asthma symptoms experience attacks so severe they can't speak.
Only 65% of parents are confident that their child’s PE teacher know what to do in the event of an asthma attack.

The NHS spends around £1 billion a year treating and caring for people with asthma.
The estimated annual cost of treating a child with asthma is higher than the cost per adult with asthma.
In 2008/09 up to 1.1 million working days were lost due to breathing or lung problems.

42% of people with asthma tell us that traffic fumes discourage them from walking/shopping in congested areas.
33% of children with asthma (or their parents) say that asthma can result in being left out of sports activities at school.
Over a quarter of people with asthma have missed days off work in the past year because of their asthma.
65% said that they have had an asthma attack where they have been unable to talk.

An estimated 75% of admissions are preventable.
There were over 79,794 emergency hospital admissions for asthma in the UK in 2008-09. Of these, 30,740 were children aged 14 years or under.
A child is admitted to hospital every 17 minutes.
People who do not have a written personal asthma action plan are four times more likely to have an asthma attack requiring emergency hospital treatment.

Asthma UK’s report 'Wish you were here?' highlights regional differences in emergency admissions in England.

Wish you were here? - UK report (1287 kb)