Tick awareness and toolkit
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-06)

Raising awareness of ticks can reduce the potential impacts of associated tick-borne diseases. UKHSA have a range of materials that can be used to support awareness initiatives.

CCHS navigation menu: CCHS homepage (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-centre-for-climate-health-security)Topic: health impacts (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/health-impacts) Vector-borne disease: ticks (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ticks)Part of: learning about ticks

Key resources for tick awareness:
- Tick awareness and toolkit
- Tick awareness toolkit for local authorities (pdf) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease#:~:text=UKHSA%20tick%20awareness%20toolkit)
- Tick awareness leaflet (pdf) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease#:~:text=Tick%20awareness%20leaflet,-Ref%3A%20GOV%2D14524)
- Tick awareness leaflet - co branded (word) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease#:~:text=Tick%20awareness%20leaflet%20%2D%20co%2Dbranded)
- Tick awareness poster (pdf) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease#:~:text=Tick%20awareness%20poster,-Ref%3A%20GOV%2D14524)
- Tick awareness poster - co branded (word) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease#:~:text=Tick%20awareness%20poster%20%2D%20co%2Dbranded)
Tick awareness for the public

UKHSA encourages everyone to ‘be tick aware’.

Watch our tick awareness video to find out all about ticks and their public health importance.

Health : Watch out ticks about! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzR1eja6Wa8)

Information in this video can also be found in our blog on ‘Tips and tricks to stay safe from ticks’ (https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2014/03/24/tips-and-tricks-to-stay-safe-from-ticks/) and public health leaflets (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease).

If you have been bitten by a tick please visit NHS.UK (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Lyme-disease/) or the UKHSA Lyme disease page (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/lyme-disease-guidance-data-and-analysis) for more information. If you would like to send a tick for identification and help us record tick distribution on a national scale, see the Tick Surveillance Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tick-surveillance-scheme).

Tick awareness for the public

UKHSA’s ‘Tick Awareness Toolkit’ aims to facilitate the implementation of locally-driven tick awareness initiatives. It contains information on ticks and Lyme disease risk and can be used by local authorities and other stakeholders for delivering consistent tick awareness messages at the local level. Raising awareness should increase knowledge of tick exposure and the potential health risks, as well as promote the adoption of preventative behaviours such as carrying out regular tick checks and prompt tick removal.

This toolkit has been developed by UKHSA and a number of local authorities already engaging in tick awareness activities. This toolkit and accompanying poster, leaflet (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease) and images (https://app.box.com/s/jygwbmlt7imqts2equhht5w6hrfklzcu) can be used to support you in promoting tick awareness locally.