Air quality statistics
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-27)

An annual update on concentrations of major air pollutants in the UK.

This publication summarises the concentrations of major air pollutants as measured by the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN). This release covers annual average concentrations in the UK of:
- nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- particulates (PM2.5)
- particulates (PM10)
- ozone (O3)
The release also covers the number of days when air pollution was ‘Moderate’ or higher for any one of five pollutants listed below:
- nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- particulates (PM2.5)
- particulates (PM10)
- ozone (O3)
- sulphur dioxide (SO2)
These statistics are used to monitor progress against the UK’s reduction targets for concentrations of air pollutants. Improvements in air quality help reduce harm to human health and the environment.

Air quality in the UK is strongly linked to anthropogenic emissions of pollutants. For more information on UK emissions data and other information please refer to the air quality and emissions statistics GOV.UK page (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/air-quality-and-emissions-statistics).

The statistics in this publication are based on data from the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) of air quality monitors. The UK-AIR (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/) website contains the latest air quality monitoring data for the UK and detailed information about the different monintoring networks that measure air quality. The website also hosts the latest data produced using Pollution Climate Mapping (PCM) which is a suite of models that uses both monitoring and emissions data to model concentrations of air pollutants across the whole of the UK. The UK-AIR website also provides air pollution episode updates and information on Local Authority Air Quality Management Areas as well as a number of useful reports.

The monitoring data is continuously reviewed and subject to change when issues are highlighted. This means that the time series for certain statistics may vary slightly from year to year. You can access editions of this publication via The National Archives or the links below.

The datasets associated with this publication can be found here ENV02 - Air quality statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env02-air-quality-statistics).

As part of our ongoing commitment to compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (https://code.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/) we wish to strengthen our engagement with users of air quality data and better understand how the data is used and the types of decisions that they inform. We invite users to register as a “user of Air Quality data” (https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=UCQKdycCYkyQx044U38RAvtqaLEKUSxHhjbo5C6dq4lUMFBZMUJMNDNCS0xOOExBSDdESVlHSEdHUi4u&route=shorturl), so that we can retain your details, inform you of any new releases of Air Quality statistics and provide you with the opportunity to take part in user engagement activities that we may run. If you would like to register as a user of Air Quality data, please provide your details in the attached form (https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=UCQKdycCYkyQx044U38RAvtqaLEKUSxHhjbo5C6dq4lUMFBZMUJMNDNCS0xOOExBSDdESVlHSEdHUi4u&route=shorturl).

2024

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2023 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20250609165125/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2023

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2022 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20230802031254/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2022

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2021 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20230301015627/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2021

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2020 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20211111164715/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2020

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2019 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20201225100256/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2019

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2018 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200303040317/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2018

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2017 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20190404180926/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2017

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2016 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20180410113356/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2016

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2015 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20170408104517/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2015

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2014 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160221154301/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2014

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2013 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20150402004259/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics)

2013

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2012 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140321171719/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-quality-statistics)

2012

Air Quality Statistics in the UK, 1987 to 2011 (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130403150940/http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/environment/air-quality/)

2011

Air Quality Indicators – 2010 final UK Results (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120104120521/http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/environment/air-quality/)

2010

Air Quality Indicator for sustainable development: 2009 final results (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101109164157/http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/environment/airqual/index.htm)

2009

Air Quality Indicator for sustainable development: 2008 final results (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100104195255/http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/environment/airqual/index.htm)

2008

Air Quality Indicator for sustainable development: 2007 final results (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20081105181639/http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/airqual/index.htm)

Defra statistics: Air Quality and Industrial Emissions

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