People in their 50s urged to complete bowel cancer screening
Monday 13 July 2026
We're urging people in their 50s to complete their bowel cancer screening kits after NHS England raised concerns about low uptake.
Latest figures suggest that a little over half of 54-year-olds completed at-home testing kits last year, compared to almost three-quarters of 70–74-year-olds.
The call comes as NHS England published its annual bowel cancer screening data standards report for 2024-25.
Bowel cancer screening is available every two years to people aged 50–74 in England who are registered with a GP, using a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) sent in the post.
Almost 5.2 million people took part in screening in the 12 months from April 2024 to March 2025, with the programme diagnosing 5,170 bowel cancers – an average of 100 cases of cancer a week.
However, only 56.2% of 54-year-olds completed the test last year compared with 73.5% of 70 to 74-year-olds. Many people in their early 50s are only now receiving their first invitation to bowel cancer screening following the programme’s recent expansion to people aged 50–74.
Overall, uptake fell to 65.2% last year from 67.6% the year before. NHS England notes this may partly reflect the recent completion of the programme’s age extension, as younger people who have only recently become eligible are currently less likely to take part.
The report also found that participation remained lowest in the most deprived areas of England, where just over half of eligible people completed screening.
Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “If you’re in your 50s, you may now receive a screening kit through the post for the first time. Every completed kit is an opportunity to detect bowel cancer early or even prevent it altogether.
“It only takes a few minutes to do at home, but those few minutes could make a life-changing difference. Don’t put it off, complete your kit and return it as soon as you can.”
- Find out more about bowel cancer screening
- Learn the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer
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