Marie Curie analysis reveals the 'silent crisis' behind ONS excess death figures for 2020

• ONS data shows the full picture of excess deaths in England and Wales last year
•  614,114 people in total died over the course of 2020, compared to an average of 539,083 for each of the 5 previous years
•  Analysis by the charity Marie Curie highlights that there were a total of 75,031 excess deaths over the course of 2020
•  Marie Curie warns that a ‘silent crisis’ has been happening behind closed doors with 167,846 deaths registered in private homes
•  The charity estimates that around 3 million people were bereaved over the course of the year – over 375,000 more than in each of the five previous years
•  It is calling on the Government to improve bereavement support for those affected by death and dying both now and in the future

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, released today, has revealed that 614,114 deaths happened in England and Wales last year.  Analysis from the charity Marie Curie show this equates to 75,031 more than the average for each of the five previous years. 

The findings also show that 167,846 of these deaths happened at home – a significant increase on an ongoing trend towards more deaths happening at home.

Based on findings from its own research and insights from its frontline staff, the charity is warning that a ‘silent crisis’ has been happening behind closed doors with families missing out on the care they needed to support a dying loved one at home. It says that if more support isn’t given to people dying at home then we could see thousands more people die without the care they need.  The charity is calling on the Government to increase investment in community services caring for those reaching the end of their life at home.

A survey commissioned by Marie Curie found that 70%[i] of people whose loved one died at home last year did not get all the care and support they needed before they died. Over a quarter of those surveyed said they needed more help managing the dying person’s pain and 76% said the Government has failed to prioritise the care that people dying at home need.

Marie Curie’s analysis[ii] also estimates that around 3 million people have been left bereaved over the course of the year – an estimated 375,000 more than the average across the previous five years.  With hundreds of thousands of people left bereaved the charity is also calling for improvements in bereavement support both now and in the future.

Matthew Reed, Chief Executive at the end of life charity Marie Curie, said: 

“Last year is one that many would wish to forget. Sadly, we have entered a New Year where we continue to see thousands more people dying unexpectedly. While we must do all we can to protect the NHS and help it through this third wave of Covid-19, we must also reflect on what we can learn today about the people who have died prematurely in 2020 from other causes, and those who died at home –  many more people died at home in 2020 but we did not see significantly increased resources to support those people.

“A silent crisis has been raging behind closed doors and we are concerned that many people who died at home this year have not had the care they needed. Marie Curie Nurses have shared their stories from the frontline with me during the pandemic, harrowing stories of isolated families trying to make do, trying to be both a daughter and a doctor, families who have struggled to access face-to-face support from healthcare professionals and have had to learn to manage pain relief drugs for loved ones dying in the front room.  

“Tragically, for too many people the grief of this pandemic will live in the memories of the bereaved for a generation as the Covid after-shock. The Government must work across departments to review the support people need post bereavement. Most people would choose to be at home for their final days but the support must be there to make sure people have a good death, free from pain, and their loved ones fully supported.”

Susan Lowe, from the West Midlands, cared for her mother, Sheila, before she died in April last year with bowel cancer. They were initially receiving lots of support but after the lockdown in March, overstretched community nurses struggled to provide the care they needed. Susan decided to move in with her parents to care full-time for her mum. Tragically, Susan’s father has also now had a terminal diagnosis and she fears that the current lockdown may result in them having the same struggles:

“Caring for my mum in lockdown was hard. The support we had from nurses and our oncologist changed. It wasn’t their fault, the system was just under so much pressure that we had to manage largely on our own. I struggled to get the palliative care drugs mum needed and I spent a lot of time trying to find the right pain killers for her by driving to lots of pharmacies. It made me panic to think that mum would be in pain if I couldn’t find what she needed.

“We were offered some appointments over the phone but they were often late and my mum was so ill that we needed people helping us in the home. My dad’s cancer is terminal now. I’m really worried that almost a year after the first lockdown I will have the same struggles in getting him the care that he will need. Caring for my mum was a privilege that I wouldn’t change but families need support. We know that there is a pandemic but terminal illness is still happening, people are dying at home as well as in hospital, and it’s a really difficult thing to manage in normal times, let alone now. It’s horrendous.”