Drowning Statistics UK: Water Fatalities and Trends (2026)
Online CPD Academy
https://onlinecpdacademy.co.uk/blog/drowning-and-water-safety-statistics-uk

The UK recorded 202 accidental water-related fatalities in 2025, within 587 water-related deaths from all recorded causes. Men accounted for 85% of accidental fatalities, and inland waters accounted for 57% in the report’s location analysis.

STATISTICS

Accidental water-related fatalities: 202
2025 | United Kingdom
Includes natural water-related causes.

All-cause water-related fatalities: 587
2025 | United Kingdom
Includes categories other than accidents.

Male share of accidental fatalities: 85%
2025 | United Kingdom
Published rounded proportion.

Inland-water share in location analysis: 57%
2025 | United Kingdom
Figure 5 includes 171 fatalities and excludes 31.

Accidental water-related fatalities: 193
2024 | United Kingdom
Earlier annual release; interpret trends cautiously.

COVERAGE
WAID 2025 UK summary, version 1.1. The accidental category includes suspected or confirmed accidents and natural water-related causes; some outcome classifications remain unresolved.

USING THESE STATISTICS
Please credit Online CPD Academy and link to https://onlinecpdacademy.co.uk/blog/drowning-and-water-safety-statistics-uk when using these statistics. Retain each figure’s reporting period and coverage.

SOURCES
1. National Water Safety Forum — WAID UK 2025 Summary, version 1.1
https://nationalwatersafety.org.uk/media/1514/nwsf-waid-uk-2025-summary-final.pdf

2. National Water Safety Forum — WAID UK 2024 Summary
https://nationalwatersafety.org.uk/media/1444/waid-uk-2024-summary-may25-final.pdf

3. RNLI — Float to Live and cold water shock
https://rnli.org/water-safety/float

4. National Water Safety Forum — WAID annual report archive
https://nationalwatersafety.org.uk/evidence-and-data/waid-reports