People not using improved sanitation facilities in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 118,884 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using improved sanitation facilities in United Kingdom, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 118,884 people for people not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in United Kingdom peaked at 118,884 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 103,848 people, in 2000.
That places United Kingdom 96th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 103,848 people | — |
| 2001 | 104,217 people | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 104,552 people | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 104,934 people | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 105,437 people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 106,077 people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 106,767 people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 107,502 people | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 108,252 people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 108,982 people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 109,749 people | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 110,518 people | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 111,196 people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 111,834 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 112,557 people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 113,343 people | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 114,124 people | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 114,816 people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 115,398 people | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 115,910 people | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 116,223 people | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 116,662 people | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 117,438 people | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 118,201 people | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 118,884 people | +0.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 118,884 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 428.55 people, 277.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 118,884 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,797 people, 31.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 106,057 people | 103,848 people | 108,982 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 112,944 people | 109,749 people | 115,910 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 117,482 people | 116,223 people | 118,884 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in United Kingdom?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in United Kingdom was 118,884 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 118,884 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 103,848 people in 2000.
- How does United Kingdom rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- United Kingdom ranks 96th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.