New 2025 Resuscitation Council UK CPR Guidelines - What You Need to Know

The Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) has officially released the 2025 CPR and resuscitation guidelines, bringing the most significant updates since 2021. These changes, developed through a four‑year global evidence review by ILCOR and adapted for the UK, will shape how the public, first aiders and healthcare professionals respond to cardiac arrest across all settings.

Below is a clear, reader‑friendly breakdown of the essential updates and what they mean for the UK public.

1. CPR Education Begins Earlier Than Ever

A major shift in the 2025 guidelines is the emphasis on early and continuous CPR education. CPR training is now recommended to start at ages 4–6, reinforced yearly throughout schooling and into professional training. This includes gamified learning, simulation, and interactive training tools to make education more engaging and accessible for diverse communities.

This approach aims to normalise lifesaving skills so children grow up confident and capable in emergencies.

2. Updated Adult CPR Guidance

Immediate Action

If someone is unresponsive:

• Call 999 immediately—call handlers will help assess breathing and guide CPR in real time.

  
  

Compression Guidelines

• Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute

• Depth: 5–6 cm

• Technique: Minimise interruptions

• If untrained: use compression‑only CPR

  
  

CPR on a Bed

If moving the casualty to the floor delays treatment, start CPR where they are, remove pillows and kneel beside them.

3. Defibrillation (AED) Updates

AED pad placement has been refined for better shock effectiveness:

• The left pad should sit just beneath the armpit, to ensure the current passes cleanly across the heart.

If three shocks are unsuccessful, adjust the right‑side pad slightly more centrally over the chest.

The new guidelines also highlight stronger emphasis on early defibrillation, urging bystanders to retrieve and use AEDs immediately when cardiac arrest is suspected.

4. Key Changes for Drowning and Breathing‑Related Arrests

Because drowning arrests are driven by oxygen deprivation:

• Begin with five rescue breaths before starting chest compressions.

This differs from standard adult cardiac arrest, where compressions begin immediately.

5. Paediatric CPR Updates

Children usually arrest from breathing problems rather than heart issues, so oxygen restoration is vital.

Major paediatric updates include:

• 5 rescue breaths first

• 15:2 compression‑to‑breath ratio for trained responders

• New infant CPR technique: encircling two‑thumb method (replacing the two‑finger technique) for more effective compressions and better blood flow.

AEDs can now be used safely on all ages, including infants.

6. New First Aid Additions

For the first time, RCUK has added a dedicated First Aid chapter, providing updated guidance on:

• Life‑threatening bleeding

• Choking

• Stroke

• Overdose

• Trauma

Bleeding control is especially emphasised—tourniquets and haemostatic dressings are now supported for trained first aiders in severe bleeding scenarios.

7. Stronger Focus on Ethics & End‑of‑Life Care

The guidelines highlight:

• Person‑centred decision‑making

• Clear documentation such as ReSPECT forms

• Allowing families the option to be present during resuscitation

These changes aim to make emergency care more compassionate and consistent across the UK.

8. Why These Updates Matter

Every year, the UK sees:

• ~115,000 out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrests

• CPR attempted in approx. 43,000 cases

Survival dramatically improves when CPR and defibrillation begin quickly—highlighting why strong community training and early action are at the heart of the new guidelines.

Final Thoughts💬

The new 2025 RCUK guidelines modernise CPR training and response across the UK. From teaching lifesaving skills in early childhood to refining AED use and paediatric CPR techniques, these updates ensure that bystanders and professionals alike are better equipped to save lives.