United Kingdom Statistics by Race, Age and Gender

The latest HIV and AIDS statistics for the UK were published by the Health Protection Agency and include data up to the end of December 2010. The numbers for recent years are likely to increase as further reports are received.

back to top UK statistics by race

Despite comprising less than 1% of the total UK population, black Africans accounted for 28% of new HIV diagnoses in 2010. White males and females accounted for 45% of HIV diagnoses in the same year yet make up more than 90% of the population. People of Asian origin and black Caribbean origin accounted for 3.8% and 2.9% of new HIV diagnoses, respectively, in 2010.

Heterosexual contact is by far the most likely transmission route for black Africans. More black African women have been diagnosed in the UK (23,077) than black African men (12,836). In contrast, sex between men accounts for the majority (71%) of total HIV diagnoses among white people.

UK HIV diagnoses, by ethnicity, 1995 to 2009

As shown on the graph below, the number of annual HIV diagnoses among black Africans has declined quite significantly since 2004.

Individuals diagnosed with HIV in the UK by ethnicity

UK HIV diagnoses, by ethnicity and transmission route, 1995 to end of December 2010

Ethnicity Sex between men Hetero- sexual contact Injecting drug use Mother to infant Recipient of blood/tissue products Other/ unreported Total
White 28,182 8,050 2,127 90 122 1,129 39,700
Black-African 665
 33,229
 100 1,311 181 431 35,917
Black-Caribbean 846
 1,998 39 18 14 91 3,006
Black-other 377
 801 47 2 4 72 1,303
Asian 647
 1,025 38 31 48 109 1,898
Other/mixed 1,844 1,404 151 159 27 125 3,710
Not reported 470
 356
 83 13 10 1,343 2,275
Total 33,031 46,863 2,585 1,624 406 3,300 87,809

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The number of women living with HIV steadily increased during the 1980s and 1990s and peaked at 3,290 in 2004. This was predominantly due to the rise in the number of women becoming infected with HIV through heterosexual contact. Since 2004 there has been evidence of a slight decline in the number of new infections among women.

UK HIV diagnoses, by race and gender, 2010

HIV diagnoses in the UK by race and gender, 2007

UK HIV diagnoses, AIDS cases and deaths by gender and year of diagnosis or death

Year of diagnosis HIV AIDS Deaths*
Male Female Total† Male Female Total Male Female Total‡
1984 or earlier 1,496 108 1,612 154 7 161 ... ... 89
1985 3,069 149 3,223 237 10 247 ... ... 152
1986 2,510 255 2,767 461 13 474 ... ... 319
1987 2,199 302 2,509 659 22 681 ... ... 417
1988 1,720 231 1,953 870 38 908 ... ... 481
1989 1,872 269 2,145 1,017 66 1,083 ... ... 744
1990 2,176 371 2,552 1,145 97 1,242 ... ... 894
1991 2,282 450 2,732 1,254 139 1,393 1,054 91 1,145
1992 2,202 545 2,748 1,406 173 1,579 1,164 89 1,253
1993 2,137 534 2,672 1,568 241 1,809 1,416 165 1,581
1994 2,264 551 2,816 1,645 232 1,877 1521 183 1,704
1995 2,307 612 2,919 1,510 285 1,795 1,501 222 1,723
1996 2,259 635 2,894 1,191 275 1,466 1,257 223 1,480
1997 2,151 694 2,846 880 221 1,101 596 149 746
1998 2,131 770 2,902 620 200 820 418 97 515
1999 2,244 1,016 3,262 588 205 793 393 80 473
2000 2,518 1,429 3,947 624 265 889 386 98 484
2001 3,135 1,992 5,128 528 264 792 359 119 478
2002 3,639 2,681 6,320 631 357 988 421 107 528
2003 4,065 3,243 7,308 583 448 1,031 407 165 572
2004 4,443 3,228 7,671 583 413 996 347 149 496
2005 4,626 3,211 7,837 607 348 955 448 151 599
2006 4,487 2,967 7,454 521 352 873 425 150 575
2007 4,680 2,649 7,329 542 281 823 448 181 629
2008 4,592 2,647 7,239 480 300 780 459 158 617
2009 4,413 2,204 6,617 416 377 612 410 164 574
2010 (to end of December) 4,176 1,959 6,136 377 192 570 379 150 529
Total 79,122 35,604 114,766 21,148 5,642 26,791 16,864 3,045 19,912

* Includes all deaths of people diagnosed with HIV, with or without a reported AIDS diagnosis; † Includes 40 HIV diagnoses with sex not stated on the report; ‡ Includes 3 deaths with sex not stated on the report

back to top UK statistics by age

Those aged between 30 and 34 accounted for the largest share (17.3%) of new HIV diagnoses in 2010. This was followed by the 35-39 age group (16.8%) and the 25-29 age group (15.5%). Since records began the largest number of HIV diagnoses has been among the 25-39 age group, representing almost 60% of total HIV diagnoses.

In the ten year period 2000-2010, new HIV diagnoses almost tripled among the over 50s.

UK HIV diagnoses, by age group, all years until the end of December 2010

Total Uk HIV diagnoses, by age, bar chart