Ethnic minority organ donations increase despite a drop in the number of transplants
Organ donation among people from ethnic minority backgrounds increased last year, but the number of people from these communities' receiving transplants fell slightly.
According to the latest Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation, in 2024/25 there were 96 deceased and 144 living donors from ethnic minority backgrounds - increases of 9% and 13% respectively. However, 1,201 people from these communities received a transplant, down from 1,233 the previous year. This is due to the fact that 80% of all transplants in people from ethnic minority backgrounds come from white donors and the number of these also dropped by 10% last year. (1)
As of March 31, 2025, 2,526 people from ethnic minority backgrounds were still waiting for a transplant, and almost a third of the total waiting list for a kidney is made up of ethnic minority patients. (2)
Given that kidneys are matched by blood group and tissue type, there is a better chance of not only finding a suitable match from a donor of the same ethnicity, but better outcomes for the patient. And people from ethnic minority backgrounds wait longer for a transplant than their white counterparts – due in part – to the lack of donated organs from people of the same ethnic background. Currently, 61% of Asian and 46% of black kidney transplant recipients receive an organ from a living donor of the same ethnicity.
Amrit's story
Amrit Paul, a 24-year-old Software Salesman from London, was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease aged just 4 – and 5 years ago he was placed on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.
Amrit was in the middle of his computer science exams in his final year at university when he was told he needed a new organ. He said:
"It was a total shock being told that things were so bad that I needed a transplant. I didn’t really know what to do or how to handle it because it's such big news, I just kind of retreated and became withdrawn.”
Amrit undergoes nine hours of dialysis at home every day to manage his condition and to help him stay as healthy as possible while he waits for a transplant.
He added; “Being in the unknown and not knowing if and when the call will come. That’s pretty difficult. My life is on hold, and things like going out with friends, travelling and just enjoying simple things like exercise are really difficult when you are on dialysis.”
Amrit’s family, who are Indian Punjabi, have been tested to see if any of them could become a potential living donor for him, but unfortunately none of them are suitable. Now Amrit is appealing for people from the South Asian community to consider organ donation – whether that’s offering up a kidney as a living donor or signing the NHS Organ Donor Register to donate after death.
"The main thing is for people to put themselves out there and think about how they will be helping others. I know that because of my ethnicity it can be more difficult to find a match, but I am hopeful that I will get my transplant soon."
The waiting times for people from ethnic minorities are longer than white patients and, on average, black patients wait up to 6 months longer for a transplant.
Eliza's story
Eliza Jeurissen, 20 from Newham in London, has been on the waiting list for a kidney transplant for a year.
When she was 16, she was diagnosed with FSGS – a rare kidney condition that causes too much protein to be lost in the urine and too much water to be retained in the body – and she was forced to give up her passion of playing football as the disease took too much of a toll on her body.
Eliza says; "Waiting for a transplant has been a physical and emotional journey. Sometimes I get anxious and wonder when it will be my turn – will it be successful? Will I get my life back? It’s strange to expect something to happen but you have no power over how and when it will happen."
Eliza, who receives dialysis at home for 10 hours every night while she sleeps, worries that due to her black heritage she could potentially wait between 3 and 5 years for a transplant. She just wants the opportunity to live a normal life.
"It’s been really hard balancing work, studying and dialysis," said Eliza. "It can be isolating, and a draining, repetitive cycle. I often feel like people don't understand my disease or how it affects me. It would mean so much to me and others waiting for a transplant if more people decided to register as donors. Being transplanted would give me the chance to rebuild my life again."
There was a small improvement in family support for organ donation last year. The consent rate for potential ethnic minority donors rose to 35% - an increase of 3% on the previous year.
Why we need your support
There was a small improvement in family support for organ donation last year. The consent rate for potential ethnic minority donors rose to 35% - an increase of 3% on the previous year.
Despite this progress, consent rates remain lower than those of white families. Overall, family support for organ donation from all ethnicities has dropped from 69% in 2020 to 59% last year. (3)
The most common reasons ethnic minority families gave for not supporting donation going ahead were that their loved one had previously expressed a decision not to be a donor (23%) or that the donation process took too long (23%).
Encouragingly, more people from ethnic minority backgrounds are registering as potential donors on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Those who reported their ethnicity when they opted in, was at 12% in 2024/25, up from 7% 5 years ago.
There has been a huge amount of collaborative work between NHSBT and the National BAME Transplant Alliance (NBTA); working to empower Black, Asian and minority ethnic community groups to promote organ donation through their grassroot networks. The Community Grants Programme is well established and helps ethnic minority groups take a leadership role in promoting organ donation among targeted groups. As a result, these communities feel more confident in learning about organ donation and how to discuss the subject with their loved ones.
Everyone who supports organ donation can confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. It is a simple action which only takes 2 minutes; but can ultimately save lives.
You can find out more about organ donation, and register your decision through our website, call 0300 123 23 23 or use the NHS app.
Press release notes
- The number of ethnic minority donors was up by 9% last year, which was an increase of 8 donors. In contrast the number of white donors was down by 10% (135 donors) to 1247. Most ethnic minority patients will receive organs from white donors as the number of organs available from ethnic minority donors isn’t sufficient for the demand. Therefore, the reduction of white donors this year has an impact on the number of transplants performed for all ethnicity groups. There were a total of 1,403 deceased organ donors of all ethnicities
- 7% of deceased kidney donors are from ethnic minority groups whilst ethnic minority patients represent 37% of transplants and account for 35% of the kidney transplant waiting list. There are currently more than 6,500 people
- Consent/authorisation rates were 35% for Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic donors last year and 67% for white potential donors