Dog bite injuries in England have nearly doubled in a generation. In 2022/23, there were 9,336 hospital admissions for dog bites in England — up from 4,699 in 2007/08, a 98% increase in 15 years. The trend is driven not by children (as is commonly assumed) but by a tripling of incidence in adults. And the consequences are increasingly severe: 16 people were killed by dogs in 2023 — compared to just 2 in 2019, an 800% increase in fatal attacks over four years.

These figures are the latest available from official UK statistics, and this page is reviewed and updated as new data is published.

Key facts and figures

  • 9,336 hospital admissions for dog bites in England (2022/23) — a 98% increase from 4,699 (2007/08).
  • ~207,000 A&E attendances per year in England for dog bites (estimated).
  • 16 fatalities from dog attacks in 2023 — up from just 2 in 2019, an 800% increase in four years.
  • 1 in 4 people are bitten by a dog during their lifetime.
  • 42 postal workers attacked every week in the UK; ~200 per year have a finger bitten off or severely injured.
  • £25.1m NHS cost peak for hospital admissions, plus £45.7m for A&E attendances, in 2017/18.
  • 9m → 13.5m rise in dog ownership from 2019/20 to 2021/22.
  • 6.34 → 14.99 dog bite admissions per 100,000 between 1998 and 2018.
  • 70% of attacks occur in home environments.
  • 80% of attacks on children are by dogs known to the child — typically a family pet.
  • 32.2 vs 7.3 highest incidence per 100,000 in Merseyside; lowest in Kent and Medway.
  • 2.6× higher admission rates in the most deprived neighbourhoods compared to the least deprived.

Who is most at risk?

Contrary to common assumptions, the rise in dog bite hospital admissions is primarily driven by adults, not children. The Scientific Reports analysis of NHS Hospital Episode Statistics (1998–2018) found that the increase in dog bite admissions was caused by a tripling of incidence in adults, with all age groups over 15 years showing an Incidence Rate Ratio of 1.040–1.065 per year. Children aged 0–9 still have the highest admission rate per 100,000 within paediatric age groups, and children under 5 bitten on the head and neck represent the most clinically severe paediatric injuries. But the headline trend is adult attacks.

Occupational groups at elevated risk

Several occupational groups face a regular, work-related risk of dog bites — most of them because their job requires entering or approaching domestic premises where dogs are present.

  • Postal and delivery workers: Royal Mail reports 42 dog attacks on postal workers every week. An estimated 200 workers per year sustain severe hand injuries — including amputations. The Royal Mail dog awareness campaign runs annually in spring when dogs spend more time outdoors.
  • Community healthcare workers: District nurses, community care workers, and health visitors conducting home visits face regular exposure to dogs in domestic settings. Unlike postal workers who can avoid a property, healthcare workers must enter homes where aggressive dogs may be present.
  • Meter readers and utility workers: Workers requiring access to domestic premises face similar risks.
  • Dog wardens and animal control officers: By occupational necessity.

The XL Bully ban and changing breed risk

The XL Bully ban, implemented in February 2024, represents the most significant legislative development in dangerous dogs law since the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The ban was introduced following a series of fatal and near-fatal attacks involving the breed, including multiple incidents in 2023.

Under the exemption scheme, existing XL Bully owners may keep their dogs subject to: registration on a government index; microchipping; third-party liability insurance; neutering; muzzling in public; and keeping the dog on a lead in public.

It is important to note that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 does not only apply to prohibited breeds. Section 3 of the Act makes it an offence for any dog to be "dangerously out of control" — in public or (since 2014) in private places including the owner's home. Any breed can be subject to prosecution under this provision.

Training implications

Dog bite risk is a legitimate and significant workplace hazard for all organisations whose workers visit domestic premises. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers are required to assess this risk and implement controls. A structured risk assessment is the starting point. Controls include:

  • Pre-visit risk assessment processes that flag properties where dogs are known to be present.
  • Clear protocols for workers to follow when a dog is present (remaining outside, requesting the owner secure the dog).
  • Reporting systems for near-miss and actual dog bite incidents.
  • First aid training that covers wound cleaning and infection risk from dog bites (Capnocytophaga canimorsus, Pasteurella) — see our Online First Aid Course.

Sources & references

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Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about workplace health and safety, compliance and accredited online training for Online CPD Academy.