A total of 118 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in 2025, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
The total fell from 142 in 2024, with 84 deaths registered among Nottinghamshire county residents and 34 among Nottingham city residents.
The county figure was down from 91 the previous year, while Nottingham’s total fell from 51.
However, the picture varied between districts. Broxtowe recorded an increase from eight deaths to 13, while Gedling’s total remained at 10. All five other Nottinghamshire districts recorded lower numbers than in 2024.
The figures were published on 4 November and are based on the deceased person’s usual place of residence.
Deaths registered by area
| Area | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Ashfield | 14 | 11 |
| Bassetlaw | 19 | 17 |
| Broxtowe | 8 | 13 |
| Gedling | 10 | 10 |
| Mansfield | 17 | 16 |
| Newark and Sherwood | 13 | 10 |
| Rushcliffe | 10 | 7 |
| Nottinghamshire county total | 91 | 84 |
| Nottingham city | 51 | 34 |
| Combined total | 142 | 118 |
Source: ONS, deaths related to drug poisoning by local authority, Table 1. Nottingham city is recorded separately from Nottinghamshire county.
Bassetlaw recorded the largest number among the county’s seven districts in 2025, with 17 deaths, followed by Mansfield with 16.
Rushcliffe recorded seven deaths, compared with 10 in 2024 and eight in 2023.
Although the county total fell in the latest year, it remained above the 47 deaths registered in 2020.
How rates compare between areas
Annual totals do not account for differences in population size or age. To help compare areas, the ONS publishes age-standardised mortality rates covering three-year periods.
For registrations between 2023 and 2025, Mansfield had the highest rate among Nottinghamshire’s districts, at 15.1 deaths per 100,000 people, closely followed by Bassetlaw at 15.0.
Nottingham city’s rate was 16.4, compared with 9.0 across England.
| Area | Deaths registered, 2023–2025 | Age-standardised rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Nottingham city | 134 | 16.4 |
| Mansfield | 50 | 15.1 |
| Bassetlaw | 51 | 15.0 |
| Newark and Sherwood | 35 | 9.7 |
| Ashfield | 34 | 8.9 |
| Gedling | 28 | 7.9 |
| Broxtowe | 26 | 7.6 |
| Rushcliffe | 25 | 6.8 |
| Nottinghamshire county | 249 | 10.1 |
| England | 15,260 | 9.0 |
Source: ONS, Table 3. Rates cover the pooled three-year registration period and are adjusted for differences in age structure. The county total includes its seven districts and excludes Nottingham city.
The ONS cautions that figures based on relatively small numbers can fluctuate. Small differences between areas should therefore be interpreted carefully, including the narrow gap between Mansfield and Bassetlaw.
What the figures include
Drug poisoning is a broader category than deaths linked to illegal drug use. It includes poisoning involving medicines, with accidental and intentional poisonings included.
The ONS separately identifies deaths meeting its definition of “drug misuse”. These are included within the drug-poisoning total and must not be added to it.
In 2025, 33 deaths among Nottinghamshire county residents and 11 among Nottingham city residents were classified as related to drug misuse.
The ONS warns that missing information about the substances involved can lead to drug-misuse deaths being undercounted.
The statistics also describe deaths registered in 2025, rather than necessarily deaths that happened that year. Coroners’ investigations can mean registrations take place months or years later.
Across England and Wales, 62.7% of drug-poisoning deaths registered in 2025 had occurred in an earlier year.
Nationally, 5,519 drug-poisoning deaths were registered in 2025, compared with 5,565 in 2024. The age-standardised mortality rate fell for the first time since 2012, although it remained close to the previous year’s level.
Simon Phillips, CEO of drug and alcohol treatment provider, WithYou, said:
“These deaths were preventable. Each number is a person, with family, friends, and a future, and their loss is felt every day. My thoughts are with them today. Any fall is welcome, but even one life lost is too many.) These deaths are preventable with the right support, treatment and policy-making.
“Drugs policy needs political leadership. Responsibility is spread across at least six government departments, with no single minister in charge. Dame Carol Black’s independent review recommended appointing a single, responsible minister to hold the government to account. I urge the government to appoint a dedicated drugs minister with the authority to drive action across central Government.
There’s no single quick fix for this complex problem. The best way to tackle it is with a joined-up approach that focuses on saving lives now, helping people recover over time, and addressing the root causes for the future. Drug deaths don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re bound up with homelessness, poverty, poor mental health, unemployment, crime and the pressure on the NHS, and the government can’t meet its goals on any of these without taking drug harm seriously.
“Worryingly, the drug supply is also becoming stronger and less predictable. Nitazenes, synthetic opioids far more powerful than heroin, are turning up in other drugs without people knowing. Yet there is still no national drug checking service in England. The government should set one up urgently, and make naloxone, the medicine that reverses overdoses, easy to get for anyone who might need it. It should also allow overdose prevention centres where people are injecting in public, so people can use drugs under supervision and be connected to treatment.
“I welcome this government showing ambition on homelessness, housing, health and getting young people back into work. It now needs to show the same ambition on reducing drug-related harms, with a clear plan, a minister in charge and the political will to act on the evidence.
“If you’re worried about your drug use, or that of someone close to you, we’re here to help. Our webchat at wearewithyou.org.uk offers free, confidential advice from expert recovery workers.”
