Children and older people are particularly vulnerable to pneumonia (Image: Getty)
The number of people admitted to hospitals for pneumonia has soared 25% over two years, a charity has warned. Analysis of NHS data by Asthma + Lung UK found the figure jumped from 461,995 in the year to March 2023 to 579,475 in the year to March 2025. The total includes both patients rushed to the hospital with the condition and those diagnosed while already in the wards who needed further emergency care.
The charity warned that numbers are likely to have continued rising thanks to a tough winter and flu season. It said many cases could be prevented if people living with lung conditions that put them at higher risk of pneumonia received better care. Dr Andy Whittamore, a respiratory specialist GP and clinical lead at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “These alarming figures are the result of respiratory care being neglected and deprioritised for too long.
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“Catching pneumonia is often seen as inevitable, but we forget that most people who are hospitalised with the condition have pre-existing conditions such as COPD.
“Everyone with a lung condition should be getting the care they deserve to reduce their chance of catching pneumonia.”
Pneumonia is a type of chest infection that affects tiny air sacs, called alveoli, in the lungs.
It can be caused by a bacterial infection or virus, such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or Covid-19. When people catch pneumonia, it can make it harder to breathe.
More than 97,000 people died of pneumonia after ending up in hospital between April 2022 and March 2025. The condition causes more hospital admissions than major conditions, including heart failure and sepsis.
Those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are more susceptible to serious illness.
Dr Whittamore added: “Following recommended basic care guidelines for respiratory conditions can save and transform lives. I’ve seen firsthand with my patients the dramatic effect good basic care has on reducing hospital admissions.
“However, too often we’re not getting the basics right, and the result is increasing A&E and hospital pressures, rising healthcare costs and people with lung conditions left to deteriorate without support.”
Research by Asthma + Lung UK found only one in three people with asthma and fewer than one in 10 with COPD received all the basic care needed to manage their condition.
Basic care includes regular treatment reviews and ensuring vaccinations are up to date.
The charity believes a national strategy for England could dramatically improve basic care and reduce hospital admissions.
Sarah Sleet, Asthma + Lung UK chief executive, said: “These figures are a stark reminder of the toll that rising pneumonia cases is not only taking on the NHS, but on people with lung conditions who are being let down by a system that is failing them.
“The sad truth is that in many instances these cases are preventable if people got the basic care they need in the community.
“Too many people with lung conditions go from crisis point to crisis point. If the Government is serious about moving from sickness to prevention, urgent change is desperately needed to fix a broken system that leaves people relying on emergency care.
“These findings should be a wake-up call that we need a national strategy for lung health to reduce hospital cases for illnesses like pneumonia and ensure everyone with a lung condition gets the support they deserve.”