Know Your Numbers! Week

Know Your Numbers! Week is the UK's biggest blood pressure testing and awareness event, and this year's campaign is taking place from 8 to 14 September 2025.

To mark Know Your Numbers! Week, the organiser Blood Pressure UK, is urging adults of all ages to get their blood pressure checked – and help find the Missing Millions.

Around 5 million adults aged 18–64 in the UK could be living with undiagnosed high blood pressure – a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and early death. Often called the ‘silent killer’, high blood pressure has no symptoms, yet it is the single biggest preventable cause of death in the UK.

Blood Pressure UK is calling on everyone to:

  • Get a blood pressure check – at home, your local pharmacy, GP, or at any free local events
  • Share the message with friends and family
  • Make one heart-healthy lifestyle change – it’s never too late to start

Monitoring your blood pressure at home

Home monitoring is an effective and inexpensive way to keep blood pressure under control and the evidence behind it continues to get stronger. It offers a way for you to take control of your health, feel confident, and take the pressure off the NHS at the same time. It gives you a practical way to Know Your Numbers! without visiting your GP, practice nurse, or pharmacist in person. It puts you in the driver's seat, and it really can save lives. 

Learn how to measure your blood pressure at home using the online measuring your blood at home resources hub to download a range of home blood pressure monitoring resources for this Know Your Numbers! Week and beyond.

 

Pharmacies offering free blood pressure checks

You may be able to access a local pharmacy to have your blood pressure checked for free and without seeing a GP.

You can get a free blood pressure check if you:

  • are aged 40 or over
  • live in England

You cannot get a free blood pressure check if you:

  • already have high blood pressure
  • have had your blood pressure checked by a healthcare professional in the past 6 months

Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks

Other ways to get a free blood pressure check

You can also get your blood pressure checked at a GP surgery.

Facts about blood pressure from Blood Pressure UK:

  • High blood pressure has no obvious signs or symptoms. The only way to find out if you have the condition is to have a blood pressure check.
  • Untreated high blood pressure is the major risk factor for strokes, heart attacks and heart failure. It is also a major risk factor for kidney disease and dementia.
  • A healthy blood pressure is a level of 120/80mmHg or less.
  • A blood pressure of 121/81mmHg to 139/89mmHg is on the high side and lifestyle changes such as eating less salt, more fruit and veg and losing weight if necessary should be advised.
  • If readings are consistently at or above 140/90mmHg, high blood pressure is diagnosed, and action should be taken to lower it by leading a healthier lifestyle, and, if necessary, by taking medication as directed by your doctor.

 

Blood Pressure UK’s Top five tips for a healthy blood pressure:

  1. Cut down on salt – Reducing your salt intake it the quickest way to lower your blood pressure.  Don’t add it when cooking or at the table, avoid using stock cubes, gravy and soy sauce, check food labels and avoid processed foods high in salt – aim to eat less than 6g a day.
  2. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least five different portions every day.
  3. Watch your weight – try to reach the right weight for your height.
  4. Exercise regularly – that doesn’t have to mean the gym, how about a regular lunchtime walk? 30 minutes five times a week is ideal. If you are unsure about taking up exercise, ask your GP.
  5. Drink alcohol in moderation – up to 14 units a week for both men and women – a glass of wine or a pint of beer is 2-3 units.

Find out more on how to manage high blood pressure on the NHS website.