Is there fluoride in UK tap water? Understanding your local result

Natural fluoride and fluoridation are different questions

DWI explains that fluoride occurs naturally in water sources. Some water supplies are also fluoridated. Ask the supplier about the specific supply scheme if you want to know the origin; do not infer it from a company name or a single concentration.

Check the units and period

Reports may use mg/l or µg/l. There are 1,000 micrograms in one milligram: 225 µg/l is 0.225 mg/l. Compare the same unit and reporting period, keep any “<” sign, which means the result was below what the test could detect, and use the supply-area report rather than a national map for local detail.

What a reference limit can tell you

DWI states a fluoride standard of 1.5 mg/l for the supplies it regulates. Keep the source’s units, sample counts and investigation notes when interpreting compliance. An annual area average does not answer every household or health question; ask the supplier about water results and a qualified health professional about personal clinical advice.

Fluoridation schemes in England

DWI explains that fluoridation means dosing a supply to bring fluoride up to 1 milligram per litre as a public health measure, and that in England the decision is made by the Secretary of State; a water company may only fluoridate under a contract with the Department of Health and Social Care. In Wales the decision rests with the Welsh Government. The government’s 2026 health monitoring report says about one in 10 people in England live in areas where fluoride has been added to public water supplies. A 2022 government factsheet put the figure at around 6 million people, mainly in the West Midlands and the North East, with Birmingham’s scheme dating from 1964.

The North East expansion

After a consultation that ran from March to July 2024, the government published its response on 7 March 2025 and confirmed that community water fluoridation will be expanded in the north east of England as proposed, working with Northumbrian Water. Implementation takes time; check with Northumbrian Water or the consultation page for the current position for your address rather than assuming a scheme is already operating.

What the monitoring report found

The Water fluoridation: health monitoring report for England 2026, published on 20 March 2026, found lower tooth decay among children in areas with fluoridation schemes, with the largest benefits in more deprived areas. It found no evidence of a relationship between fluoride levels and cognitive test scores in five and seven year olds, and no convincing evidence of a relationship with emergency hip-fracture admissions. For personal health or dental questions, ask a dentist or GP.

Do water filters remove fluoride?

It depends on the treatment, so check the product’s own tested claim:

• Standard jug filters are generally not designed for fluoride. BRITA, for example, states that its water filters are not designed to remove fluoride.
• Reverse osmosis systems remove most dissolved solids, according to DWI, which can include fluoride. Ask the manufacturer for a tested fluoride reduction figure rather than assuming it.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that some filters remove fluoride and advises checking the label and certification for the specific substances a filter removes.
• DWI advises following the manufacturer’s maintenance and cartridge-change instructions for any filter, and using a qualified plumber for plumbed-in units.

Check your published local result

Look up the fluoride result for your supply area, then read the unit, period and number of samples alongside it. Your supplier can also send you the results for your supply free of charge.

Check your postcode · Water quality in London · Water quality in Birmingham · Where UK water quality data is published

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