Excess Winter Deaths Index for UK Local Authorities

UK data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities measures excess winter mortality as a percentage ratio of deaths in winter months compared to warmer months. The dataset is updated annually and covers all ages, though its calculation is not standardized by age. As of January 2025, the Office for National Statistics has this dataset under consultation, which may affect its annual update schedule.

Use Cases

• Monitor seasonal public health risks based on the excess winter deaths index
• Analyze the influence of local demographic factors, such as the proportion of older people, on mortality patterns
• Track long-term trends in winter mortality for policy evaluation and resource planning

Strengths

• Provides an annual time-series index for tracking a key public health outcome
• Includes age-specific breakdowns and confidence intervals via the source PHOF site

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• The calculation is not standardized by age, which may influence area-level comparisons

Provenance

Source

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF), indicator 90360 / E14

Time Range

Yearly periods from 01 August to 31 July

Freshness

Updated annually, but under consultation as of 2025

Geography

United Kingdom (likely local authority level)