A new study from Superdrug Online Doctor reveals a concerning gap in sexual health awareness among Brits at a time when sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising across the UK. The survey of 2,000 single people found that 80% underestimate the annual number of STI diagnoses, believing it to be between 100,000 and 200,000, when the true figure is more than 400,000.
Only 20% of respondents always use protection with a new partner. Reasons for unprotected sex include “the heat of the moment” (34%), trusting partners are STI-free (30%), wanting intimacy (27%), lack of preparation (22%), and alcohol influence (17%). One in 10 admit being unaware of STI transmission risks, while 15% of Gen Z say they feel uncomfortable discussing protection.
The study highlights testing and symptom awareness gaps. Forty-one percent of respondents have never tested for gonorrhoea, 38% for chlamydia, and 41% for HPV. Almost half would not connect genital redness or abnormal discharge with STIs, and 46% would not link sores, blisters, or warts to the need for testing. Women are 13% more likely than men to recognise symptoms and test three times more frequently each year. Gen Z show the lowest recognition of symptoms, underscoring the need for targeted education.
Analysis of Office for National Statistics data identifies Manchester, Brighton, and London as STI hotspots for 2025. Manchester ranks highest with 1,647 diagnoses per 100,000 people, followed by Brighton and Hove at 1,610, and London at 1,448. Liverpool (1,355), Nottingham (1,271), and Blackpool (1,115) also feature prominently. Separate figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that in 2023 England recorded 401,800 new STI diagnoses, a 4.7% rise from 2022, with gonorrhoea cases increasing by 7.5% to 85,223, the highest since 1918. London remains the epicentre, with rates more than double the national average of 694, and Lambeth alone recording 3,730 cases per 100,000. The UKHSA also reports that chlamydia remains the most common STI with 168,889 diagnoses in 2024, although this reflects a 13% fall from the previous year. Yet testing among women aged 15 to 24 is still below the recommended level, reaching only 2,028 per 100,000 in London in 2023.
To improve awareness, Superdrug Online Doctor has launched an STI Risk Tracker, a tool allowing people to check local STI rates using government data. The study also found that 30% of respondents are open to AI-based STI scans, showing interest in innovative approaches to sexual health. Public health experts emphasise that better education and greater access to services are essential. The Local Government Association notes that 97% of council areas have seen gonorrhoea rates rise since 2017, with funding pressures leaving clinics overstretched. As STI rates climb, more accessible testing and targeted campaigns are seen as crucial to protecting public health.
