Leprosy
(asked on 17th April 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of Hansen's Disease have been diagnosed in the last ten years; and what steps his Department is taking to support people infected by this disease.
Hansen's Disease, or leprosy, is a statutorily notifiable disease in England and Wales. Data supplied by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and is available at the following link:
https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/number-of-new-leprosy-cases.
There were 56 cases of Hansen's Disease diagnosed between 2015 and 2024 in the United Kingdom. Annual case numbers ranged from two to 12 cases per year. UK Data for 2025 is due to be published on the WHO website in the coming months. There has been no documented transmission of leprosy in the UK in the last 10 years.
Direct patient care is provided by the National Health Service, by specialist clinical leprosy advisors based in London, Liverpool, and Birmingham, and this is in line with UKHSA's Leprosy Memorandum, which covers diagnosis, treatment with multi-drug therapy, and long-term support for those living with disability caused by the disease. The memorandum is available at the following link: