Ethnic minority organ donations increase despite a drop in the number of transplants - so why are black patients still waiting longer for a kidney transplant than white patients?

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) published the Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation for 2024 to 2025 on the 27 November 2025.

This report follows the Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2024 to 2025, published in July 2025, which showed that the UK kidney transplant waiting list has reached a record high.

Organ donation among people from ethnic minority backgrounds increased last year, but the number of people from these communities' receiving transplants fell slightly.

- NHSBT Organ Donation Press release

So if ethnic minority organ donations increase despite a drop in the number of transplants - why are black patients still waiting longer for a kidney transplant than white patients?

At the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise™ (ACKEE) we asked a set of questions in our blog “so what does this mean for Black patients?” in July 2025, in the hope that the Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation for 2024/2025 will provide answers.

Here are some of the questions that we asked, and what the Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation for 2024 to 2025 told us

Q. How many Black patients are currently on the kidney transplant waiting list?

A. 1,221

Q. What percentage of people on the kidney transplant waiting list are Black?

A. Twelve percent (12%).

Q. On average, how long does a Black patient wait for a kidney transplant?

A. Five hundred and sixty days (560 days).

Q. On average, how long does a White patient wait for a kidney transplant?

A. Four hundred and sixty three days (463 days).

Q. How many deceased kidney donors were Black in the latest reporting period?

A. Twenty four (24).

Q. What percentage of deceased kidney donors were Black?

A. Two percent (2%).

Q. How many Black patients received a decased kidney transplant in 2024 to 2025?

A. England: two hundred and eighty one (281), Wales: one (1), Scotland: eight (8), Northern Ireland: one (1)

Q. How many living kidney donors were Black?

A. Over a five year period between 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025, total of one hundred and six (106). Altruistic: two (2), paired donation, thirteen (13), related or unrelated: ninety one (91)

Kidney donor and transplant statistics Information taken from the Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation for 2024 to 2025

Measure	Black	White	Asian	Other	Source
Number on waiting list	1221	6536	1951	304	Page 43
Percentage of waiting list	12%	65%	19%	3%	Page 43
Median waiting time	560	463	592	503	Page 33
Deceased kidney donors	24	1217	49	13	Page 43
Deceased kidney donor transplants	England 281 Wales 1 Scotland 8 Northern Ireland 1	England 1079 Wales 80 Scotland 114 Northern Ireland 27	England 442 Wales 9 Scotland 9 Northern Ireland 0	England 61 Wales 2 Scotland 2 Northern Ireland 0	Page 40
Living kidney donors (Over a five year period between 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025)	106	3458	301	105	Page 45
Living Kidney donor transplants in the UK (Over a five year period between 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025)	Altruistic - 2 Paired - 13 Unrelated - 91	Altruistic - 281 Paired - 634 Unrelated - 2543	Altruistic - 5 Paired - 35 Unrelated - 261	Altruistic - 2 Paired - 12 Unrelated - 91	Page 46

The NHSBT Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation for 2024 to 2025 clearly shows that Black patients wait longer than White patients for a kidney transplant. The median wait for a Black patient is five hundred and sixty days (560 days) compared with four hundred and sixty three days (463 days) for a White patient.

Candice McKenzie, founder & director at the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise said:

“At the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise™ (ACKEE), we know from speaking to our members about their lived experience that the waiting time for a kidney transplant can be even higher than reported. Using myself as an example, 1,249 days (almost three and a half years) for my own kidney transplant”.

Black patients represent twelve percent (12%) of the kidney transplant waiting list, which is 1,221 people out of 10,012 (page 43, table 4.10 Kidney statistics (waiting list as at 31 March), 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2025). Yet Black people make up only two percent (2%) of deceased kidney donors in the year 2024 - 2025. This gap matters because the chances of a suitable match are often higher when the donor and recipient share the same ethnicity.

It is also known that that people of Black African Caribbean heritage are five times more likely to develop chronic kidney disease (CKD) than other groups. That elevated risk is linked to conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lupus, poorly controlled diabetes and a high sodium diet.

The consequence for our community more time living with the burden of a chronic illness like CKD which if develops into kidney failure, will mean time on dialysis. The report shows that across five years there were only 106 Black living kidney donors - an average of just 21 donors per year.

Most Black African Caribbean people would accept a kidney if they needed one, yet fewer register to donate. How would you feel if you found yourself in need and a kidney was not available for you?

What action can you take today?

A – Take Action and assess your healthHave a full blood test once a year to check how your body is performing. Avoid being in a position to need a kidney transplant, take action today.

C – Check for warning signs. Tiredness, cloudy or bloody urine, sudden hair loss, high blood pressure.

K – Keep active - Exercise regularly, avoid smoking and limit alcohol.

E – Eat well - Fresh fruit and vegetables, drink water, reduce salt and limit processed foods.

E – Educate yourself and others - Learn about kidney health and organ donation via our social media @wearetheACKEE on all platforms and our website www.ackee.org.uk where you can use the link on our site to confirm your organ donation decision.  It is a simple action which only takes two minutes.

​How can you help ACKEE?

• Share this blog and the work of the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise™ (ACKEE) to help inform and educate others, start a conversation about donation in your home, workplace, faith group, and community. Also find us on social media @wearetheackee on all platforms

  
  

• Donate - What we do at the African Caribbean Kidney Education Enterprise™ (ACKEE) is only possible because of the generosity of people like you. Kidney disease continues to affect the Black African Caribbean community at a much higher rate than any other group, and many people still do not receive the information, support or early intervention they need.

  Please make a donation today and help us continue to educate, empower and improve outcomes for our community. Your support can make a life-changing difference.