Almost half of women (45%) in the UK do not regularly check their breasts for possible signs and symptoms of breast cancer, according to new research published by Breast Cancer Now to coincide with October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A YouGov survey, commissioned by the charity, gained responses from 2,283 UK females between 2 and 4 September 2025. Those defined as ‘not regularly’ checking their breasts included responses that they checked at least once every three months through to never. ‘Regular’ breast checking included those who check their breasts at least once a week, at least once a month or at least once every six weeks.

The results showed that the number of women not regularly checking their breasts had reached a four-year high, with an increase of 1% since 2024 and 4% since 2022.

The number of women reporting never to have checked their breasts had reached 11% – an increase of 1% since 2024.

Take action in Breast Cancer Awareness Month

A number of barriers for women to regularly check their breasts were identified as part of the survey, with forgetting to check and not being in the habit of checking being the top two reasons, at 46% and 36%, respectively.

Some 17% reported a lack of confidence in checking their breasts for signs and symptoms of breast cancer, while 13% said they did not know how to.

Of the women who did check their breasts, 32% noted a lack of confidence that they would notice any changes in their breasts.

As such, a key message of this year's Breast Cancer Awareness Month is for people to ‘get to know their normal’.

Manveet Basra, associate director of public health, inclusion and awareness at Breast Cancer Now, said the results were ‘deeply concerning given the sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of treatment being successful, and lives potentially being saved.’

She added: ‘Yet with forgetting, not being in the habit and lacking confidence continuing to be the biggest barriers to breast checking that women report, more must be done to ensure women both know the possible signs and symptoms of breast cancer and the importance of establishing this vital health check as part of their routine.’

Calls to expand routine NHS breast screenings

A second survey, carried out by the cancer charity Walk the Walk to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, revealed that as many as 85% of people reported not feeling confident checking their breasts or chest, and only one in four said they checked their breasts or chest once a month.

Almost half of people (46%) said they did not have an understanding of secondary breast cancer.

Most respondents (97%) said they believed routine NHS breast screenings should be expanded to be made available to people outside the current age range of 50-70 – something that the charity is also campaigning for.

The Walk the Walk survey of 1,160 people – both women and men – in September 2025 sought to uncover public attitudes to breast cancer and routine self-checking and the charity said it showed the ‘urgent need’ for better education and screening.

Founder and chief executive of Walk the Walk Nina Barough said: ‘These statistics are a wake-up call. People clearly want greater access to mammograms, especially as so many don’t feel equipped to check their own breasts or chest with confidence.’

The charity, which is best known for its MoonWalk fundraiser, said it wanted to urge everyone, no matter their gender to ‘make breast and chest checking part of their regular self-care routine’.

Research published last month revealed that women who don’t attend their first mammogram face a 40% higher risk of dying from breast cancer in the long-term, suggesting that targeting this group could help reduce deaths at a population level.