In response to the latest study funded by Haemochromatosis UK, the charity is naming 10 priority areas for awareness, clinician education and family support while continuing to work across all of the UK.

The priority areas have been chosen because they have the highest prevalence of the underlying genetics, they are areas of significant underdiagnosis, or present the highest rates of diagnosis in England

The 10 priority areas are:

1. Northern Ireland (highest risk)
2. Hebrides (highest risk)
3. Birmingham (area of underdiagnosis)
4. North Cumbria (area of underdiagnosis)
5. Northumberland (area of underdiagnosis)
6. Durham (area of underdiagnosis)
7. South west Scotland (including Glasgow) (highest risk in mainland Britain)
8. Cheshire / Merseyside (highest rate of diagnosis in England)
9. Manchester (highest rate of diagnosis in England)
10. London (highest rate of diagnosis in England)

Unfortunately we do not have diagnosis numbers for Wales (this is only available in detail for England), so while it is not listed as a priority at this time, we will continue to assess the relative risk and of course support people affected.

The charity is already working in the priority areas including providing further funding to the Viking Genes project for the Western Isles, a new screening initiative in Northern Ireland, Iron Brews in Newcastle and Whitley Bay, and holding the Pass it On Project England Steering Group meeting in Birmingham in March 2026. In November 2026 our Nurses Study day will support healthcare professionals from hotspot areas to attend in-person training and information resources and awareness campaigns will be targeted to these communities. (We are grateful for support from the D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust towards this work).

The major new study funded by Haemochromatosis UK and headed by Professor Jim Wilson at the University of Edinburgh has analysed genetic data from over 10,000 volunteers and more than 400,000 participants from large population cohorts to identify geographical “hotspots” for haemochromatosis across the UK and Ireland. CEO of HUK, Jonathan Jelley welcomed the publication of the study in Portculis House, Westminster and thanked Professor Jim Wilson for this vital work (pictured).

The research maps the prevalence of the key C282Y HFE gene variant, which is the strongest genetic risk factor for hereditary iron overload, revealing for the first time which regions have the highest genetic risk for the condition.

https://www.haemochromatosis.org.uk/news/viking-genes-study-maps-haemochromatosis-hotspots-across-uk-and-ireland