Progress, Not the Finish Line: Reflections on the Latest HIV Data
The latest HIV surveillance data for 2024, published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), offers encouraging signs of progress in the UK’s efforts to end new HIV transmissions. But while the direction of travel is positive, the journey is far from over — and the data highlights important gaps that the sector must continue to address.
Encouraging Progress
New HIV diagnoses have fallen by 4%, from 3,169 in 2023 to 3,043 in 2024. England continues to meet the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets for the sixth year running:
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95% of people living with HIV have been diagnosed
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99% of those diagnosed are receiving treatment
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98% of people on treatment have a suppressed viral load, meaning they cannot pass HIV on through sex
These are remarkable achievements, reflecting the commitment of healthcare providers, community organisations, and individuals living with HIV who continue to challenge stigma and normalise testing and treatment.
The uptake of HIV prevention medication (PrEP) also continues to grow. Since NHS commissioning in 2020, access has increased each year, with over 111,000 people now receiving PrEP — up 7.7% on 2023. HIV testing in sexual health services rose by 3%, and contact tracing remains highly effective, with 85% of partners tested and 5% of them diagnosed as a result.
Deaths among people living with HIV have also decreased by 14%, from 751 in 2023 to 643 in 2024 — evidence of the power of early diagnosis and effective treatment.
Progress Unevenly Shared
While these national results are heartening, they might not necessarily tell the whole story. Some groups and regions continue to face significant barriers to testing, prevention, and care.
The data shows that young people aged 15–24 are at risk of being left behind, with testing rates down 7%, treatment rates lower than average (96%), and only 91% achieving viral suppression — well below the national figure of 98%.
Access to PrEP also varies sharply across communities. Uptake remains highest among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) — where awareness, trust, and access are well established. But PrEP use is much lower among Black African heterosexual women (34.6%), Black African men (36.4%), and those who are new to the UK, living in rural areas, or outside traditional service networks.
Similarly, while new diagnoses among gay and bisexual men in England have decreased by 6%, 35% of new cases were among ethnic minority men. Rates among heterosexual men outside London have increased, suggesting that geography and community context still play a major role in who gets tested — and who doesn’t.
Access and Geography: A Tale of Two Countries
The data also raises important questions about geographic inequality.
Is access to testing, condoms, and PrEP the same in Devon as it is in London? Probably not. Rural and coastal areas often lack the same concentration of clinics and outreach services, and those who would benefit most from prevention tools can face barriers related to transport, privacy, stigma, or simply awareness.
For national progress to translate into local impact, access must be equitable — not just available on paper.
A Call for Innovation
If we’re serious about ending new HIV transmissions, we need to make sure prevention and testing meet people where they are. That means looking beyond clinic walls and finding new ways to reach people in their communities, workplaces, faith spaces, universities, and online.
We need to make it easier for people to:
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Order HIV tests and condoms discreetly and quickly
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Access PrEP without long waiting times or complex referral systems
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Learn about HIV in ways that reflect their culture, identity, and lived experiences
As Dr Tamara Djuretic from UKHSA noted:
“It’s excellent to see new HIV diagnoses fall and our continued success in meeting UNAIDS targets... However, we’re concerned about poorer testing and treatment outcomes among young people, who are at a crucial stage for establishing healthy sexual behaviours.”
Her message applies more broadly: progress must be shared, and prevention must be accessible to all.
Building on the Foundations
The Department of Health and Social Care, alongside UKHSA, NHS England and partners, will soon publish the next HIV Action Plan, aimed at addressing the inequalities highlighted in this data.
That work cannot happen in isolation. Community organisations, local authorities, and public health teams all play a vital role in ensuring prevention tools — from condoms and testing kits to PrEP and education — reach those who need them most.
The new figures are a step in the right direction. But they are also a reminder that we can’t take our eyes off the goal. True progress will come when every community — regardless of geography, gender, ethnicity, or sexuality — has equal access to the tools that make ending HIV possible.
HIV testing and PrEP are free and confidential across the UK.
If you’re sexually active, regular testing helps keep you and your partners healthy.
Find out more about your testing options by clicking here.
If you’re sexually active, regular testing helps keep you and your partners healthy.
Find out more about your testing options by clicking here.