The widening gap in child mortality reveals a growing crisis of inequality
In short: While global child mortality has declined by 60% since 1990, recent data shows a troubling reversal in the UK. In some regions, death rates are climbing again, driven by a stark divide between the most and least deprived communities.
In the UK, child mortality rates for those aged 1–17 years have seen a recent uptick. Following a decline to 8 per 100,000 during 2020—linked to COVID-19 restrictions—figures climbed to 9.5 by 2022 and 9.1 in 2023. While some nations like Northern Ireland have seen significant reductions, others face persistent challenges. For instance, Scotland recorded a rate of 8.9 per 100,000 in 2024, down from 11 in 2018, yet England’s rate of 8.5 remains only a marginal decline from 9 in 2018.
The most striking feature of these statistics is the social gradient. In England, the death rate for children in the most deprived areas (IMD1) was 15.7 per 100,000 in 2025, nearly double the 8.2 rate seen in the least deprived areas (IMD5). Ethnic disparities are equally pronounced; in 2025, Asian/British Asian children faced the highest rates at 17.4 per 100,000, compared to 10.7 per 100,000 for White children. These outcomes are often linked to environmental and economic drivers, such as housing insecurity, malnutrition, and limited access to healthcare services.
Globally, the stakes remain high. In 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children under five died worldwide—one every six seconds. While primary health care (PHC) coverage is a proven tool for reduction, recent studies in sub-Saharan countries like Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Gabon suggest that defunding health assistance could be catastrophic. Researchers estimate that dismantling PHC coverage could lead to an increase of approximately 373,108 preventable deaths between 2025 and 2035.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: State of Child Health 2026: Child mortality
- Also: Child mortality
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