Emergency admissions for breathing difficulties soar by almost half a million 

Lung charity Asthma + Lung UK, is warning that hospitals are hurtling towards a respiratory catastrophe this winter, as new analysis shows there has been a 23% rise in the number of emergency admissions over three years for respiratory issues in England since 2022/23.¹ NHS England data provided by HSJ Information shows the crisis reached an alarming high in December 2024, when over 220,000 people were rushed to hospital in respiratory distress across England.² 

With this year’s flu season starting earlier and looking significantly worse than last year, the charity is concerned emergency admissions will rise even higher this winter, putting further strain on an already stretched NHS. In addition, a lack of access to care is creating a revolving door crisis with the number of readmissions for respiratory illness back into A&E within 30 days of discharge going up by almost 30%, between April 2024 and March 2025 there were more than 405,000 ‘bounce-back’ admissions.³ 

The charity says the rising emergency hospital admission and readmission rates are evidence of a system being placed under enormous strain and that the situation will worsen if action is not taken. 

Asthma + Lung UK, alongside The Taskforce for Lung Health (a collaboration of more than 50 members including patient, carers, healthcare professionals, the voluntary sector and professional associations to improve lung health), is calling on the UK Government to produce a national strategy for England, known as a Modern Service Framework (MSF), for respiratory illness, to spread best practice across the NHS and avoid these huge spikes in winter admissions. The charity is also campaigning for similar approaches to be adopted in the rest of the UK. 

Without urgent action the recurrent winter crises and pressure on frontline services will only continue to worsen year on year. People with lung conditions are not getting adequate preventative care and support for their condition, and as a result, they are ending up in hospital in emergencies that could have been avoided. This is why Asthma + Lung UK is urging people to sign its E:petition calling for a respiratory Modern Service Framework. 

Last winter alone, a staggering 1.1million people were rushed to hospital with a breathing emergency – a 14% rise compared to winter two years earlier.⁴  
  
Respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are the UK’s third biggest killer next to cancer and cardiovascular disease and are the main drivers of winter pressures on the NHS, influenced by factors like colder weather and increased winter viruses.⁵ They are also identified as the leading cause of annual emergency admissions.⁵ 

Those with lung conditions living in deprived areas are the worst affected, they are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for a respiratory condition as those living in the least deprived areas^.6 This is linked to factors including a lack of access to quality healthcare.  

A Modern Service Framework for respiratory care would set out the best, evidence-based ways to help everyone with lung condition stay well, focusing on what works for each individual, on what offers good value for the NHS, and reducing unfair gaps in care.  

For example, it could include risk profiling of people with lung conditions to identify those who are at the highest risk of being admitted to hospital and offering them support. At present, GP surgeries are contracted to treat all patients the same, inviting them in for one review per year, irrespective of disease severity or risk of hospital admission. 

It could also include implementation of supported self-management plans, so people with lung conditions are able to help keep themselves well and out of hospital, as well as faster access to specialists for those with severe or complex lung conditions, and quicker access to specialised treatments. A Modern Service Framework would provide clear, national standards for how services like these should be delivered, with a plan to make sure they’re consistently available across the country. Right now, too many areas simply don’t have these services, so a joined-up national approach is urgently needed.  

Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Failure to give consistent year-round care to people with lung conditions is pushing the NHS to breaking point with too many A&E admissions that could have been avoided. Our analysis shows that tragically the situation is getting worse not better. This must change. 

“Winter is the worst time of year for people with lung conditions and hospitals are at risk of becoming overwhelmed as a result with flu levels already higher than expected and this year it is predicted to be the worst outbreak for a decade.   
  
“We need to ensure that across the NHS people with lung conditions get the care they need throughout the year. Right now, delivery of the routine basics is dismal resulting in these regular winter crises. Only with a national focus and the Implementation of a respiratory MSF is the situation likely to change, reducing hospital admissions and saving people’s lives.”  

Tamzin Usher, 25, from Durham in Northeast England, has severe asthma. She regularly ends up in hospital, especially during winter, as viruses and cold weather trigger her asthma.  

Tamzin, said: “In recent years I have had to be admitted to hospital several times. When I was first diagnosed with asthma, it wasn’t very often, but in the last two years I’ve ended up being admitted to hospital five times, four times I required intensive care. Each time I’ve been in for at least a week, so my time in hospital is quite long and means I’ve had to have a lot of time off work.  

“I have had pneumonia twice, most recently in April this year, when I ended up being admitted to intensive care and had to have IV antibiotics. I was in hospital for around two weeks then. 

“Winter is the worst time for me as cold weather affects me badly. I am also very susceptible to picking up viruses, so I tend to get a lot more chest infections, which usually lead to an emergency hospital admission for me. 

“There have been times when I have struggled to get a GP appointment or had to wait to see a specialist when my asthma symptoms have started to get worse, and it doesn’t help. I don’t think I’d end up being hospitalised as much if I could get the care I needed quicker whenever my asthma did flare up, so I could manage it better without having to call for an ambulance.” 

Professor Sanjay Agrawal, Royal College of Physicians special advisor and consultant in respiratory and intensive care, said: “Respiratory diseases are a major driver of hospital admissions, and the sharp rise in both admissions and readmissions reflects a health system and a medical workforce under immense strain. 

“Recent RCP polling found just 1 in 10 physicians were confident their hospital can manage winter pressures. Without decisive action, winter pressures will continue to escalate, further stretching services beyond capacity and putting patients at risk.”  

A respiratory MSF with more consistent high-quality care at a primary and community level for everyone with a lung condition will have a dramatic effect on the number of people being hospitalised with breathing problems each year, freeing up thousands of beds, saving many lives, as well as saving the NHS millions of pounds. 

Last year the NHS spent more than £700m more on hospital care for lung conditions than it did two years earlier – with 90% of that rise driven by emergency admissions.⁷ This shows that breathing issues are also having a huge impact on the economy. 

There are already national plans the government has committed to for the management and care of people with cancer and heart disease. But respiratory conditions are not treated with the same level of urgency or focus.  
  
Asthma + Lung UK has a free Winter Wellness Guide to help people stay well this winter. Sign up here: https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/withyouthiswinter   
 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors     

For more information or for interview requests, please contact the press team on 0207 786 4949 or  press@asthmaandlung.org.uk  

Asthma + Lung UK     
Asthma + Lung UK is the only charity in the UK fighting for everyone with a lung condition, aiming for a world where everyone can breathe with healthy lungs. We fund cutting-edge research and provide advice and support for the 12 million people who will get a lung condition during their lifetime. We also campaign for clean air and for better NHS diagnosis and treatment. For further information visit asthmaandlung.org.uk.   

REFERENCES: 

1. NHS England data requested by Asthma + Lung UK, which shows the increase in hospital emergency admissions for respiratory conditions in England between April 2022 - March 2023 and April 2024 - March 2025. Between April 2024 and March 2025 there were 2,268,865 emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in England, compared to 1,841,010 between April 2022 and March 2023 – an increase of 427,855 (23.24%). Produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. This work uses data provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. Secondary care data is taken from the English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database produced by NHS England, Copyright © 2025, NHS England. Re-used with the permission of NHS England. All rights reserved. 

2. NHS England data requested by Asthma + Lung UK, showing monthly emergency hospital admissions and 30-day readmissions during the colder months for respiratory disease between October 2024 and March 2025. The highest number of readmissions were in December 2024, when there were 36,735 returns to hospital among people struggling to breathe. The highest number of emergency admissions was also in December 2024 at 221,325. Produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. This work uses data provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. Secondary care data is taken from the English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database produced by NHS England, Copyright © 2025, NHS England. Re-used with the permission of NHS England. All rights reserved. 

3. NHS England data requested by Asthma + Lung UK, which shows the increase in hospital readmissions for respiratory conditions in England between April 2022 – March 2023 and April 2024 – March 2025. There were 405,795 readmissions to hospital within 30-days for people with respiratory conditions between April 2024 and March 2025 and 313,680 between April 2022 and March 2023 – an increase of 92,115 (29.36%). Produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. This work uses data provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. Secondary care data is taken from the English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database produced by NHS England, Copyright © 2025, NHS England. Re-used with the permission of NHS England. All rights reserved. 

4. NHS England data requested by Asthma + Lung UK showing increase in number of hospital emergency admissions for respiratory during colder months for October 2022 to March 2023 and Oct 2024 to March 2025. Produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. This work uses data provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. Secondary care data is taken from the English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database produced by NHS England, Copyright © 2025, NHS England. Re-used with the permission of NHS England. All rights reserved. 

  
5. NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics 2023/24. Accessed here 

6. NHS England Digital; Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity 2024-25, accessed 10 October 2025: Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity, 2024-25 - NHS England Digital 

7. NHS England data showing how much the NHS spent on all hospital admissions for respiratory illness and on emergency admissions for respiratory illness in April 2022-March 2023 and April 2024-March 2025 and the percentage of total spending that was for emergency admissions in each period. Produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. This work uses data provided by patients and collected by the NHS as part of their care and support. Secondary care data is taken from the English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database produced by NHS England, Copyright © 2025, NHS England. Re-used with the permission of NHS England. All rights reserved.