Many people assume that tuberculosis is a disease of the past – but across the UK, rates are rising, reversing decades of progress and highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action.
Although TB is both entirely preventable and curable, it remains a threat in environments shaped by entrenched inequalities. Overcrowded or insecure housing, poor nutrition, obstacles to timely healthcare and gaps in support all create fertile ground for the disease. These challenges are not confined to one group, and so an effective response must combine social action with strong clinical care. England’s National TB Action Plan (2021–2026) provides an important strategic framework for reducing TB incidence, improving detection, and supporting people through treatment. Yet the recent rise in cases demonstrates that further action is needed. The planned renewal of the Action Plan for 2026–2031 offers a critical and timely opportunity to build on successes, address gaps and ensure a coordinated, equitable, and adequately funded response.
While this report examines TB trends across the UK, its evidence and recommendations focus primarily on England, which accounts for most cases. Many of the issues explored – from health system fragmentation to social determinants of health – are relevant across the UK, where each nation faces its own challenges.
Throughout 2025, members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis and our parliamentary colleagues engaged in events highlighting the importance of TB funding, both in the UK and globally, particularly in the context of the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment.3 These discussions also highlighted the need for a coordinated, strategic approach to tackling TB in the UK, which informed the decision to launch this inquiry.
During the course of this inquiry, we heard from clinicians, researchers, public health specialists, TB services and people with lived experience of TB. Their testimonies demonstrate that England already has the expertise, tools, and knowledge to reverse the current trend – if deployed through a cohesive, inclusive strategy that reaches everyone.
We would like to express our deepest thanks to everyone who contributed evidence to this inquiry – especially those who shared their personal experiences. We recognise how emotionally difficult it can be to revisit periods of illness, uncertainty and disruption, and we are truly grateful to those who chose to do so. Your testimony has given this report its heart as well as its insight. It ensures that our findings reflect not only the data and the policy landscape, but the lived realities of the people and families behind every TB case. Your willingness to speak candidly and generously will help drive improvements in care, awareness and support for others in the future.
Rising Rates: Tuberculosis in the United Kingdom
Tuberculosis (TB) is re-emerging as a significant public health challenge in the UK. TB rates in the UK are now rising, and the country is at risk of losing its World Health Organisation (WHO) low-incidence status – defined as fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 population4 – with a current notification rate of 9.25 per 100,000.5 This trend exposes gaps in prevention, early detection, treatment and support, particularly for high-risk groups like migrants, people experiencing deprivation, and those with complex social needs.
As such, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis launched this inquiry to understand the factors driving this increase and to identify actionable solutions. Through written submissions, oral evidence and discussions with clinicians, public health experts and people with lived experience, the inquiry captured a stark picture of domestic TB challenges and the UK’s role in the global response.
For any queries or support, please contact Aqsa Shah at aqsa.shah@results.org.uk and include “APPG TB Inquiry” in the subject line.