UK Stairs Falls Statistics: Deaths, Injuries and NHS Costs

Last updated: 10 June 2026 · A fully sourced reference page on falls on stairs in the UK. Every figure links to its primary source. Free to cite with attribution.

Key Figures at a Glance

Deaths from Falls on Stairs

Falls on stairs and steps kill more than 1,000 people every year in the UK, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Safer Stairs campaign. Falls overall were responsible for almost half (48%) of all accidental deaths in 2023, and falls from stairs and steps are the most commonly identified cause of fall-related deaths (Centre for Ageing Better, analysis of ONS mortality data).

Older people carry most of the risk: more than 850 deaths of people aged 65 and over were recorded in 2023 from falls on or from stairs and steps. Historical ONS analysis (ICD-10 code W10) shows that around 88% of stair-fall deaths happen at home rather than in public places (ONS).

Copy-and-paste stat: Falls on stairs and steps kill more than 1,000 people a year in the UK, and around 88% of stair-fall deaths happen in the home (RoSPA; ONS).

Injuries and Hospital Admissions

Who Falls on Stairs?

Survey data from the British Woodworking Federation shows that 43% of British adults report falling on the stairs in the past year, and counter-intuitively, younger adults fall more often: over 60% of 18–34-year-olds reported a stair accident in the past 12 months versus 33% of over-65s. The difference is severity: older people are far more likely to be seriously injured or killed by a stair fall.

Among older people generally, about one in three people aged 65+ and one in two aged 80+ fall at least once a year (Office for Health Improvement & Disparities).

Copy-and-paste stat: Over 60% of 18-34-year-olds report a stair accident each year versus 33% of over-65s, but older people are far more likely to be killed by one (British Woodworking Federation).

What Falls Cost the NHS

• Fragility fractures cost the UK an estimated £4.4 billion a year, including £1.1 billion in social care (NICE).
• Hip fractures alone cost the NHS and social care around £2.3 billion a year, about £6 million a day (OHID).
• Unaddressed fall hazards in homes are estimated to cost NHS England £435 million a year (OHID).

Reducing the Risk

Evidence-based ways to reduce stair-fall risk include better lighting, secure handrails on both sides, removing loose carpets, regular sight and medication reviews, and, where stairs become unmanageable, home adaptations such as stairlifts, which the Disabled Facilities Grant can fund up to £30,000 in England (see our grant application guide). Practical home-safety steps are covered in our fall prevention guide, and broader figures are on our UK stairlift statistics hub.

FAQ

How many people die falling down stairs in the UK each year?

More than 1,000 people a year die in falls on stairs and steps in the UK, including over 850 people aged 65+ in 2023 (RoSPA; ONS).

How many stair-fall injuries happen each year?

Around 43,000 people are hospitalised and over 300,000 attend A&E after falls on stairs annually (RoSPA).

Are stairs the most dangerous part of the home?

Falls are the leading cause of accidental death in the UK and stairs are the most commonly identified location of fatal falls; roughly 88% of stair-fall deaths happen at home.

What do falls cost the NHS?

Fragility fractures cost the UK about £4.4 billion a year; hip fractures alone cost around £2.3 billion (£6 million a day).

How to Cite This Page

Methodology & Sources

This page compiles published figures from RoSPA, the Office for National Statistics, the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities, NICE, the Centre for Ageing Better and the British Woodworking Federation. Each figure is linked to its source at the point of use. Where sources report ranges or different reference years, we cite the most recent published figure and identify the year. Reviewed and updated as new official data is released.