Deaths increase in November

According to current provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of deaths recorded in November 2016 reached 46,504.

Compared to October, this figure represents an increase of 6,064 deaths and in comparison to November 2015, an increase of 4,984 deaths.

Also reported by the ONS were levels of excess winter deaths, with 2015/16 showing an estimated 15% increase in deaths during the winter months.

The ONS has highlighted a potential contributory reason the provisional figures for November 2016 were higher than those recorded in November of 2015.  Register offices were open for a higher number of days during November 2015, thus providing a greater window of opportunity to register deaths within that month.

Closures occur during weekends and moveable public holidays, and impact the number of registrations made in published months. In turn this affects the corresponding months in previous years.

The majority of deaths during November were registered in the South East, with the provisional figure reaching 7,261. This was followed the North West which in November observed 6,363 deaths. In contrast, the least number of deaths registered was in the North East at a total of 2,414. Second to least was Wales, where 2,896 deaths were registered.

Full details on the figures can be found here.