environment and climate · the national record
Air quality across England
England's annual average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) fell from 9.52 micrograms per cubic metre in 2018 to 7.06 in 2024, a fall of 25.8 per cent. Yet 150 of 153 local authorities still exceed the World Health Organization guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Inner London boroughs carry the highest concentrations in England.
How to read this
Figures are population weighted annual mean concentrations of total PM2.5 (natural and human made), measured in micrograms per cubic metre. Source: OHID Fingertips indicator 93867. England only: equivalent population weighted series are not available for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Source: OHID Fingertips indicator 93867. 2024 data, published 2025.
environment and climate · the national record
A 26 per cent fall since 2018, but 98 per cent of areas still exceed WHO limits
England's population weighted average PM2.5 concentration stood at 7.06 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024, down from 9.52 in 2018. The World Health Organization's annual mean guideline is 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Only three of England's 153 local authorities currently meet it: Isles of Scilly, Cumberland, and Westmorland and Furness. The Government's statutory target of 10 micrograms per cubic metre by 2040 is already met by all areas except City of London (10.96), which has a very small residential population and whose figure is dominated by commercial traffic.
environment and climate · the national record
England PM2.5 trend, 2018 to 2024
Concentrations fell steeply in 2020, partly reflecting the Covid lockdowns and reduced traffic. There was a partial rebound in 2022 before a further fall in 2023 and a small rise in 2024. The overall direction since 2018 is clearly downward.
England population weighted annual mean PM2.5 (micrograms per cubic metre), 2018 (9.52) to 2024 (7.06). Source: OHID Fingertips indicator 93867.
environment and climate · the national record
Most and least polluted local authorities, 2024
London dominates the most polluted list. Inner boroughs with dense road traffic record concentrations more than double those of the cleanest rural areas in the South West and North. The cleanest three areas are the only ones meeting the WHO guideline.
Most polluted
Cleanest air
Population weighted annual mean PM2.5 (micrograms per cubic metre) by local authority, 2024. City of London (10.96) excluded from the highest list as a small population commercial outlier. Source: OHID Fingertips indicator 93867.
environment and climate · the national record
Questions this data raises
- 1.
With 150 of 153 local authorities exceeding the WHO guideline, what additional policy levers beyond existing clean air zones could accelerate progress toward 5 micrograms per cubic metre?
- 2.
The 2020 Covid dip shows that a sharp reduction in road traffic can quickly lower PM2.5. What permanent changes in travel behaviour or freight routing might lock in some of that reduction?
- 3.
Inner London boroughs record PM2.5 levels nearly twice the England average. Do residents in those areas understand their elevated exposure, and are local authorities communicating air quality risks effectively?
- 4.
Total PM2.5 includes natural sources such as sea salt and wind blown dust. For policy purposes, what share is attributable to human activity, and how does that vary across local authorities?
- 5.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not covered by the OHID series used here. Is there a comparable population weighted PM2.5 measure for the whole of the UK?
Sources & method
Data provenance
- OHID Fingertips: Air pollution: fine particulate matter (indicator 93867) ↗· Open Government Licence v3.0
- WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines 2021 ↗
- UK Air Quality Strategy: Targets, objectives and measures (DEFRA) ↗· Open Government Licence v3.0
Caveats & data notes
- Coverage is England only. OHID does not publish equivalent population weighted annual mean PM2.5 series for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- PM2.5 figures represent total concentrations (natural and human made). Natural background varies by geography and is not separately reported in this indicator.
- The WHO annual mean guideline is 5 micrograms per cubic metre (2021 guidelines). The previous WHO guideline (2005) was 10 micrograms per cubic metre.
- The UK Government's statutory target is 10 micrograms per cubic metre as a population exposure reduction target by 2040. This is a different metric from the WHO guideline.
- City of London has a very small residential population (around 9,000 at night) and extremely high daytime commercial activity. Its population weighted figure of 10.96 micrograms per cubic metre should be read in that context.
- Some newer local authority areas (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Dorset; Buckinghamshire UA; North and West Northamptonshire) have no 2018 data as they did not exist in their current form.
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