Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception), 2025-26 [delayed from 15 October 2026 due to operational issues]

Analysis of uptake in this part relates to females using SRH services only (female and male attending together will be recorded as a female contact), and just those for whom a method of contraception was recorded during the year; this was 522,292 females in 2025-26.

In 2025-26, almost all contraception provided to males by SRH services is the male condom (98%), with spermicides and natural family planning representing the only other options available.

For all data on main method of contraception, a person contacting the same service multiple times during the year will only be counted once.

Information presented here is not necessarily representative of the uptake of contraception across the whole population. Contraceptives can be obtained from other sources such as GPs or direct from pharmacies, whilst non-prescription items like condoms can be obtained without a visit to a medical specialist. C-card schemes have also improved access to free condoms for young people through alternative channels.

C-card distribution schemes

Contraceptive methods are classified as either User Dependent  or Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs). LARCs are not reliant on regular user adherence. See table 6 of the Excel data tables for inclusions in the User Dependent and LARC classifications.

The NICE guidelines on LARCs for England and Wales published in October 2005 (and updated in 2019) suggested that increased uptake of long-acting methods would reduce unintended pregnancy and be most cost-effective for the NHS.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg30/chapter/1-Recommendations

Uptake of user dependent contraceptives / LARCs (at SRH services), by year

51% of females in contact with SRH services for contraception were using a LARC, with the remaining 49% having a user dependent main method. 

LARC uptake is 13 percentage points higher than in 2015-16, though has fallen slightly over the last 4 years (from 56% in 2021-22). LARC uptake at SRH services has been above user dependent uptake since 2021-22. The large change seen in 2021-22 was driven by a sharp decrease in women using contraceptive pills as their main method, and rises in the use of IU systems, IU devices, and implants (see later sections for more detail). 

Note that at the end of July 2021, progesterone-only pills became available to purchase over the counter at pharmacies without prescription. This is likely to have impacted the number of women needing to attend SRH services for the contraceptive pill, and thus the SRH services uptake figures for this method (and user dependant methods as a whole).

Uptake of user dependent contraceptives / LARCs (at SRH services), by age

The proportion of females who choose LARCs as a main method of contraception is lowest in younger age groups; 39-43% of those aged under 20, compared to 60-62% of those aged 35 and over.

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For more information: Data tables 6 and 7

Uptake of user dependant contraceptives (at SRH services), by method and year

Uptake of oral contraceptives at SRH services was 27% in 2025-26, a 4 percentage point decrease compared 2024-25. Uptake is 18 percentage points lower than in 2015-16, but they remain the most common of any method (whether user dependant or LARC). Though uptake was already on a downwards trend, the large fall seen in 2021-22 was likely influenced by the availability from July 2021 of progesterone-only pills over the counter at pharmacies.

Oral contraceptives were the most common method in all people under 35, with equal numbers of 35-44 year olds using oral contraceptives or implants. Of those aged 45 and over the most commonly used method was IU systems (see section on LARCs). 

The male condom was the next most common user dependent option, with 15% choosing them as a main method. However, as the male condom is easily available without prescription from other sources such as retail outlets, and free via C-card schemes for persons under 25, the proportion of women using them as a main method across the full population is likely to be much higher.

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For more information: Data tables 6 and 7

LARC uptake (at SRH services), by method and year

The increase in overall LARC uptake over the last 10 years has been driven by a rise in implants, IU systems and devices. However, since 2021-22, there has been little change in the uptake of IU systems and devices, whilst implant uptake has fallen by 3 percentage points. Implants are still the most common type of LARC, being the main method of contraception for 20% of females using SRH services in 2025-26. 15% were using IU systems as their main method, and 10% IU devices. 

Younger age groups are more likely to use implants; 34% of under 16's, compared to 16% of those aged 45 and over. Use of IU devices and systems generally increases with age, with 43% of those aged 45 and over using one or the other as their main method.  This compares to 20% of 20-24 year olds, 13% of 18-19 year olds, and 7% of 16-17 year olds.

Injectable contraceptives are the only LARC method where uptake (7%) has not risen over the last 10 years. Studies suggest that injectable contraceptives are less cost effective than other LARC methods, with a higher failure rate (See part E of the Appendices for examples). 

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For more information: Data tables 6 and 7

LARC uptake (at SRH services), by Local Authority (LA) of patient residence

A LARC uptake of 60% or more was recorded for SRH services patients from 34 LAs, up from 25 in 2024/25. The highest proportions were in Sheffield (88%), Cumberland (78%), Rotherham (75%), North Northamptonshire (74%) and Kingston upon Hull, County Durham and Westmorland and Furness (all at 72%). The lowest were in Dudley (10%), Thurrock (11%), Cornwall (12%), and Southend-on-Sea (14%).

Equivalent data by service provider can be found in table 17b.

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For more information: Data tables 17a and 17b