A new report published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that the trend in HIV diagnoses in England have continued to fall, with England meeting the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets again — with 95% of people living with HIV having been diagnosed, 95% of those diagnosed receiving treatment, and 98% of people on treatment having suppressed viral loads, meaning the virus is undetectable in their blood.
The data is published as part of the HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework 2026 report, which uses 2024 data to set out where England stands on HIV prevention treatment and care to monitor progress towards the ambitions of the HIV Action Plan for England 2025 to 2030.
England’s ambitions are to reduce new diagnoses to just 532 by 2030, an 90% reduction from 2010, and to reduce the number of AIDS-related mortality to 27, also an 80% reduction from 2010. While these ambitions look achievable for some groups, it is much less likely to be reached for Black African communities and ethnic minority gay and bisexual men without urgent and targeted action.
Over 1.3 million people were tested for HIV through sexual health services in 2024. However, testing uptake was lowest among Black African heterosexual and bisexual women (78%) and other ethnic minority heterosexuals (79%), compared to over 95% among gay and bisexual men.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective daily medication that prevents HIV. Since its NHS rollout in 2020, overall uptake has grown each year, with a record 111,123 people using PrEP in 2024. Among gay and bisexual men, uptake is approaching 80% amongst people with a PrEP need identified. Yet among Black African heterosexuals, it is less than 40%.
Around 2 in 5 people (42%) diagnosed with HIV in 2024 received a late diagnosis, worsening health outcomes and increasing the risk of unknowingly passing HIV on to others. This falls hardest on Black African communities with
- 57% of Black African heterosexual men diagnosed late
- 45% of Black African heterosexual women diagnosed late
Late diagnosis is often the result of stigma, fear of discrimination, and unequal access to testing services. Almost half (45%) of all people living with HIV reported experiencing stigma, with Black African heterosexual men (49%) and other ethnic minority heterosexuals (48%) reporting the highest levels.
Dr Tamara Đjuretić, Consultant Epidemiologist and Head of HIV Section at UKHSA, said
It is encouraging to see HIV diagnoses continue to decrease overall, and England meeting the UNAIDS targets. However, we are concerned that progress is not equall for all.
PrEP uptake is still far lower in Black African communities and a number of different factors, including stigma, is stopping people in the community from accessing this effective prevention intervention. Stigma can cost lives, and we all have a part to play in changing that.
vCondom use, testing and PrEP are the most effective ways to prevent HIV for sexually active people. HIV tests and PrEP are free and confidential through the NHS and local sexual health services. Condoms can also be accessed free across some parts of the country — please check availability by searching ‘Find free condom services – NHS’.
If you do test positive, treatment is highly effective, and you can expect to live a long, healthy life.