"We projected mortality for 2024 to include two waves of Covid-19, both lower than 2023, and all other mortality to be an improvement on 2023.
In the year to August 2024, rather than lower levels of mortality than in 2023, Covid-19 has led to about the same level of deaths as 2023 in aggregate, with the winter wave being significantly worse than projected, lasting longer and peaking at higher levels of deaths than predicted."