Nearest Defibrillator: Is Your Postcode a Black Spot?
Research from the British Heart Foundation has found that millions of people in the UK are living outside the ideal distance to their nearest defibrillator.
When someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, every minute without treatment reduces survival chances by up to 10%. It is recommended that a defibrillator (AED) is within a three-minute round trip from any home in the UK to ensure the best chance of survival should a cardiac arrest occur.
While there are over 100,000 public defibrillators registered on The Circuit, the nearest defibrillator to any address on average is a 19 minute round trip from any given postcode in the UK. This distance can be even greater in more rural areas, whereas areas like the City of London benefit from 159.49 defibrillators per 10,000 people – the national average is around 13.71 defibrillators per 10,000 people.
The City of London is among the most affluent in the country, with the Bank of England and the Stock Exchange located there. In contrast, the area with the fewest defibrillators per 10,000 people is also in London. The borough of Newham has 2.79 devices per 10,000 people. Despite also being in London, Newham is among the most deprived areas in the capital which is reflected in the poor defibrillator figures.
Labour MP Maria Eagle previously described public access to their nearest defibrillator as a “postcode lottery” in which life-saving treatment may not be readily available depending on the area you live.
How can defibrillator figures be improved nationally?
The only definitive way to improve sudden cardiac arrest survival rates is to increase the number of accessible defibrillators across the country, and develop the confidence of the public in using a defibrillator. More people knowing where their nearest defibrillator is and being close enough to retrieve it would save lives.
One method of increasing defibrillators numbers across the UK which has been heavily discussed is removing VAT on defibrillators. Removing VAT on a defibrillator could reduce the upfront costs associated with purchasing an AED by up to £500. Over 100 MPs wrote to the then-Prime Minister and Chancellor in November 2023, urging the government to remove VAT on defibrillators, bringing them in line with most other medical equipment, which is also VAT exempt. Unfortunately, the government did not act on this letter and state that tax exemptions need to be tightly restricted due to ‘affordability considerations’.
Instead of cutting the tax, they pointed to their £1 million community AED grant scheme, which allowed eligible local organisations to bid for partial funding to buy a device. However, many businesses and individuals are not eligible and have to raise the entire funding themselves.
View our lowest priced defibrillators
Steps we can take now
Removing VAT could make defibrillators more affordable, but businesses, schools, sports clubs and community organisations do not need to wait for legislation to help improve local coverage and reduce the distance to their nearest defibrillator.
Installing a defibrillator at your premises could provide vital protection for your staff, customers and the wider community. By placing it in a secure, publicly accessible outdoor cabinet and registering it on The Circuit, your organisation could help turn a defibrillator black spot into a safer place to live and work.
Defib Warehouse supplies trusted defibrillators, heated outdoor cabinets, replacement pads, batteries and clear signage for organisations across the UK. Our team can help you choose the right equipment for your location, budget and level of public access.
Do not let your postcode determine someone’s chance of survival. Explore our range of defibrillators today or contact Defib Warehouse for expert advice.
Browse our range of defibrillators
Shop outdoor defibrillator packages
View outdoor defibrillator cabinets
Not sure which defibrillator you need? Contact the Defib Warehouse team for expert advice and a personalised recommendation.
