This means the number of extra deaths from December to March fell to traditional levels after the spike seen during the winter of 2014-15.
The extra deaths last winter represent a 15% increase on the average for the rest of the year, according to the Office for National Statistics data.
Death rates rise in the colder weather because of more respiratory illnesses.
The winter before last there were nearly 44,000 extra deaths - the highest since 1999.
Experts blamed that on the flu vaccine being less effective than previously.
But during the most recent winter, flu attacked younger groups.
Dr Anne Campbell, of the ONS, said: "One of the key factors behind the lower excess mortality this winter was a fall in the number of deaths among the elderly.
"This was mainly due to the most prevalent strain of the flu virus impacting younger people rather than older people, who are more at risk."

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13 May 2014 Last updated at 13:00 BST
The mechanical hands have joints and fingers like real hands.
They are very sensitive and can be used to pick up delicate objects like eggs.
The new arms make it easier for people who have lost a limb to care for themselves and do everyday tasks like doing up zips.

The state is the biggest in the US.
The Forestry Division says the fires were started by ''human activity'' but it's unclear if they were accidental or deliberate.  They say the specific cause is still under investigation.
Many people have had to move out of their homes.
Some houses have been ruined and huge areas of land have been destroyed.
40 miles north of Anchorage is where the Iditarod, Alaska's famed sled-dog race, typically kicks off.
Listen to this man talking about the efforts to make sure the teams of dogs living and working there, stay safe.
There are many separate fires in different areas.
Water-scooping aircraft and helicopters with water buckets have joined hundreds of firefighters to try to stop the fires spreading further.
There has been a late spring heat wave after record breaking temperatures in May.
There have been lots of thunderstorms.
Alaska Govenor Bill Walker says, '' It's pretty powerful. The fire itself is very powerful but the human response has been, I think, equally powerful to me.
To fly over and see what's been burnt and what's been left boy, we are so sorry about the losses of structures that have taken place.
I'm very pleased there has been no loss of life, I know we've lost some animals in the process and that's most unfortunate."

Researchers tested 15-year-old girls and boys from 26 countries in 2012.
They wanted to find how gaming affected their learning, using computer and paper tests in maths, science and reading.
The results found that those who played single-player games every now and then, did better than those who never, or hardly ever, played games.
Single-player gamers did particularly well in computer tests to do with maths and problem solving.
The researchers think this could be because they're more familiar with computer games, so they're more at ease with tests on computers.
However, the researchers also found that those who played games every day or very regularly did worse on paper-based tests.
They reckon too much gaming might crowd out other activities like doing homework and reading books.
The report found those who played multi-player online games did a lot worse in both paper and computer tests.
Those who played single-player games did much better.
Online multi-player games are typically played late at night, and for long periods of time, which might make those who play them more tired and less able to concentrate.
The research was published by the international organisation the OECD, which helps governments come up with plans for improving life in their countries.
There were 24,300 excess deaths in England and Wales last winter - about half the number of the previous year.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
New high tech robotic arms which can be used for delicate tasks have been approved for use by people in America.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
Teams of firefighters and special aircraft are working around the clock to try to put out huge wildfires that are raging across parts of Alaska.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
A new international report suggests that gaming regularly can help you to do better in tests at school.