A third of people in the UK don't complete their bowel cancer screening test
Tuesday 31 March 2026
A third of people (33%) eligible for bowel cancer screening in the UK don’t complete their test, data revealed by the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity Bowel Cancer UK has shown.
The charity looked at the latest screening data across UK health and social care boards, which oversee local health services across the UK's four nations, from 2024.
England has the highest average of people taking part in screening (71%) compared to other UK nations: Scotland (65.7%), Wales (65.5%) and Northern Ireland (67.3%).
The data found that NHS Devon Integrated Care Boards (ICB) has the highest screening uptake figure of 76%, while NHS North West London ICB has the lowest uptake at just 58%.
Notably, all the integrated care boards in Greater London fall below the UK national uptake average of 67.4%.
Bowel Cancer UK is sharing screening uptake figures in the build-up to Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) this April, highlighting that there is still an opportunity for more people to take part in bowel cancer screening.
The NHS has made great strides in improving bowel cancer screening uptake in recent years, especially since the introduction of the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) as the primary screening tool.
Nations across the UK are making good progress in helping with early diagnosis, through initiatives such as:
- The publication of the National Cancer Plan in England outlining the Government’s approach to reducing lives lost to cancer, including bowel cancer
- Increasing the screening sensitivity of screening in England and Wales from 120 milligrams of poo to 80mg
- The Scottish Government launching their cancer strategy which identifies bowel cancer as one of three cancers to be prioritised in the initial three-year action plan.
- The Northern Ireland Executive exploring reducing the screening age to 50, in line with the rest of the UK
Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “While there’s been great work to date when it comes to people taking part in bowel cancer screening, these figures show that there’s still room to improve screening uptake even further.
“Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, but screening is one of the best ways to spot the disease early or remove polyps that might develop into cancer. The earlier bowel cancer is found, the more treatable it’s likely to be, with more than 9 in 10 people surviving the disease when diagnosed at the earliest stage.
“This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, we want everyone who receives their free bowel cancer screening test to complete and return it as soon as possible."
This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, we’re asking everyone to help raise awareness of the disease, so everyone has the best chance of an early diagnosis. Knowing the symptoms is important to help spot bowel cancer early.
The earlier it’s found, the more treatable it’s likely to be. Get involved today and #PassItOn.
