New analysis reveals back to school asthma surge with children from deprived areas at greater risk

• Asthma + Lung UK is warning that children in England heading back to school next week are at much higher risk of being admitted to hospital after an asthma attack¹
• Emergency child hospital admissions for asthma were over four times higher in September 2025, compared to the previous month¹
• Over a third of childhood emergency asthma admissions in September 2025 were for children from the most deprived areas of England²
• Children from ethnic minority backgrounds made up nearly half of emergency asthma admissions in September 2025, despite making up just 27% of the population of 5 -14 year olds^{3, 4}

As kids across England prepare to return to the classroom, the UK’s leading lung health charity is warning parents and teachers of a potential spike in serious asthma cases. 

Last year, emergency asthma admissions among 5-14 year olds in September soared by 357% compared to the previous month, as pupils across England returned to school,¹.

With many children due back at school next week, Asthma + Lung UK is urging parents to look out for signs that their child’s asthma may be worsening, such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and breathlessness. The charity advises parents to make an urgent appointment with their GP or asthma nurse if they have any concerns. 

Across the UK, 1.2 million children are believed to be living with asthma, and the condition counts for an estimated 2.8 million school absences a year ^{5, 6}.

New analysis by Asthma + Lung UK also reveals that children returning to school from deprived areas were significantly more likely to be admitted to hospital for a serious asthma attack. Kids living in most deprived areas accounted for 36% of emergency asthma admissions last September, three times higher than those from the least deprived areas who made up 12% of admissions².

Deprivation is closely linked with poorer lung health outcomes in England, due to factors like air pollution, poverty, high smoking rates and an increased likelihood of living in damp or mouldy housing. Studies have found that children from the most deprived neighbourhoods are nearly four times more likely to die of asthma than those in the least deprived neighbourhoods⁷.

Kids from ethnic minority backgrounds accounted for nearly half (47%) of emergency asthma admissions last September, yet make up just over a quarter of 5–14-year olds^{3, 4}. This is likely due to a range of complex social and environmental factors including increased exposure to air pollution, and being more likely to live in poor quality housing ^{8, 9}.

The figures published by Asthma + Lung UK also show that boys with asthma experienced a bigger increase in emergency hospital admissions compared to girls, although both genders were at increased risk of a serious asthma attack. There were 750 admissions for boys in September 2025, compared to 535 for girls over the same month¹. 

The charity says the increase in September asthma hospital admissions can be explained by the disruption of preventer inhaler routines over school holidays, leading to children's airways becoming more sensitive to asthma triggers when they go back to school. Common triggers could include viruses, colds, air pollution and dust.

Asthma + Lung UK is calling on schools to follow guidelines from the Department for Education on managing chronic conditions at school, including making sure that they have a copy of their children’s up-to-date asthma action plan. Schools should ensure the needs of children with asthma and other medical conditions are properly understood and effectively supported.

Dr Matt Swallow, Clinical Lead at Asthma + Lung UK and GP, said: “Going back to school often puts children at greater risk of having a serious asthma attack. Preventer inhaler routines can slip during the busy summer holidays making children more sensitive to classroom asthma triggers like dust, respiratory viruses and seasonal infections. This can increase the likelihood of dangerous asthma flare-ups. "

“The disproportionate numbers of children from more deprived areas being rushed to hospital with asthma attacks is also a stark reminder of the link between lung health and deprivation. For people from the poorest communities, factors such as air pollution and damp housing are also impacting their children’s lung health – things they are unable to change.”

“As kids head back to school, it’s important that parents, carers and teachers are aware of the warning signs of an asthma attack. Coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, or needing their reliever inhaler more than usual, can all signal that a child’s asthma is worsening”.

If you’re a parent, carer or teacher looking after a child with asthma, you can help reduce the risk of an asthma attack by taking the following precautions:

1. Make sure your child is using their steroid preventer inhaler daily, as prescribed. This helps prevent your child’s airways from getting inflamed, which can cause breathlessness or trigger an asthma attack
2. Check that your child has their reliever inhaler in their school bag so that it’s on hand when they’re experiencing symptoms. If they use a spacer, they should take this with them too
3. Arrange for your child to have an annual asthma review with their GP or asthma nurse to pick up on early symptoms and ensure they’re using their inhalers correctly
4. Ask your child’s GP if they can get an extra reliever inhaler to give to their school for emergencies. This should be kept in an easily accessible place that staff are aware of
5. Make sure to share your child’s up-to-date asthma action plan with their school so they’re aware of their triggers and what symptoms to look out for, and know how to manage any sudden flare ups
6. If a child is having an asthma attack and their symptoms are not improving with a reliever inhaler or by using their asthma action plan, call 999 and follow our asthma attack advice for children

Dr Mike McKean, Vice President for Policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “As paediatricians, we know that for children with asthma returning to school in September can unfortunately result in a worsening of asthma symptoms and a rapid rise in the number of children requiring emergency care. This latest data highlights a concerning increase in emergency care admissions for children after the summer holidays. 

"The RCPCH's State of Child Health 2026 report also showed that asthma remains one of the leading causes of emergency hospital admissions for children and young people, with those living in the most deprived communities continuing to experience the worst outcomes.

"It's vital that asthma is continued to be taken seriously. Families, teachers and healthcare professionals all play an important role in recognising the early warning signs that a child's asthma is worsening, so that action can be taken before symptoms become severe and emergency treatment is needed."

 If you are concerned about your child’s asthma, call Asthma + Lung UK’s helpline 0300 222 5800. The charity is also encouraging school staff to print its free poster, so everyone knows what to do if a pupil is having an asthma attack.

The charity runs a Clean Air Champion programme to empower schools and students to improve air quality in their communities.

Notes to Editors      

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

References

¹ Asthma + Lung UK analysis of bespoke data supplied by NHS England (Hospital Episodes Statistics), produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. Asthma emergency admissions (2025/2026) for children (5-14 years old). Asthma (ICD10, J45-J46) diagnosis as an underlying cause of the admission. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5; therefore, totals may not equal the sum of displayed values. The "All" total is calculated from unrounded figures and then rounded. Admission defined as a hospital “spell”. Spell – total time a patient spends in hospital/under the care of the physician(s), each spell can have one or more episodes.

² Asthma + Lung UK analysis of bespoke data supplied by NHS England (Hospital Episodes Statistics), produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. Asthma emergency admissions for children (5-14 years old) in 2025. Asthma (ICD10, J45-J46) diagnosis as an underlying cause of the admission. Admission defined as a hospital “episode”. Episode – time a patient spends under continuous care of a consultant/healthcare professional.

³ Asthma + Lung UK analysis of bespoke data supplied by NHS England (Hospital Episodes Statistics), produced in collaboration with HSJ Information. Asthma emergency admissions for children (5-14 years old) in 2025. Asthma (ICD10, J45-J46) diagnosis as an underlying cause of the admission. Admission defined as a hospital “episode”. Episode – time a patient spends under continuous care of a consultant/healthcare professional.

⁴ Office for National Statistics (2023) Ethnic group by age and sex, England and Wales: Census 2021, Ethnic group by age and sex, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics. Statistics for 5–14-year-olds, England. Available here

⁵ Figure calculated by Asthma + Lung UK from Health Survey for England 2018, Scottish Health Survey 2024, Welsh Health Survey 2015.

⁶ The epidemiology, healthcare and societal burden and costs of asthma in the UK and its member nations: analyses of standalone and linked national databases, BMC Medicine, August 2016 (accessed here) 

⁷ Child deaths due to Asthma or Anaphylaxis, National Child Mortality Database, December 2024 (accessed here) 

⁸ Royal College of Physicians, A Breath of Fresh Air, June 2025 (accessed here) 

⁹ Housing with damp problems, Ethnicity Facts and Figures, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, April 2025 (accessed here)

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.