Mortality in the first half of 2024 was similar to the record low mortality seen in the first half of 2019, with all age groups seeing lower mortality in the first half of 2024 than in the first half of 2023, according to data from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

There were around 5,200 deaths involving Covid-19 registered in the first half of 2024, compared with around 11,700 in the first half of 2023 and 20,700 in the first half of 2022, according to the IFoA’s Continuous Mortality Investigation data.

Cobus Daneel, chair of the CMI Mortality Projections Committee, said: “During the peak of the pandemic, we saw periods of high and volatile mortality. However, over the past five quarters we have seen mortality rates close to all-time lows and following typical seasonal patterns.

"The overall mortality rate is dominated by older ages, which are experiencing low mortality. In contrast, mortality in the working-age population is still higher than pre-pandemic lows.

"It remains to be seen what the remainder of 2024 will bring – 2014, 2019 and 2022 all had similar mortality to 2024 in the first half of the year, but very different experience in the second half.”

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