Health

• Alcohol is a causal factor associated with over 200 medical conditions (WHO)
• Alcohol is the second biggest risk factor for death and years lived with disability, and the biggest risk factor for disability-adjusted life years among 15-49-year-olds. (Alcohol Profiles)

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• Alcohol-specific mortality: Deaths from conditions wholly caused by alcohol. This definition is also used by the Office for National Statistics in their annual UK data release.
• Alcohol-related mortality: Deaths from conditions which are wholly or partially caused by alcohol. For partially attributable conditions, a fraction of the deaths is included based on the latest academic evidence about the contribution alcohol makes to the condition. (OHID)

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• In 2024, there were 9,809 alcohol-specific deaths registered in the UK, a rate of 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people (Office for National Statistic, 2026)
• This is 6.3% fewer deaths than in 2023 and the first fall in deaths since 2018
• However, it is still 29.7% higher than 2019 (pre-coronavirus pandemic) and 72% higher than in 2001
• This is the third highest number of annual deaths from alcohol recorded since 2001 when recording began

• 179,835 people have died from alcohol-specific causes in the UK since 2001. (ONS, 2026)

• This only includes conditions wholly attributable to alcohol, meaning the true toll of alcohol harm is significantly higher, likely 2-3 times higher.

How many people die from alcohol-specific causes in each UK nation?

• In 2024:
  • 7,673 people died in England from alcohol-specific causes, a rate of 13.8 deaths per 100,000
  • 1,185 people died in Scotland, a rate of 20.9 deaths per 100,000
  • 538 people died in Wales, a rate of 16.8 deaths per 100,000
  • 397 died in Northern Ireland, a rate of 21.4 deaths per 100,000

• The gap in the death rate between UK nations has narrowed significantly since the early 2000s.

• In the early 2000s, Scotland’s alcohol death rate was triple that of England. Scotland’s rate is now only 50% higher than England’s.

Ratio of Scot:Eng death rate – log scale by The Institute of Alcohol Studies

• Since the COVID-19 pandemic all UK nations and all regions in England experienced big increases in alcohol-specific deaths.
• This rise was higher in many English regions and in Northern Ireland compared to Scotland, which saw a much smaller increase.
• In 2024, Northern Ireland overtook Scotland and the North East of England and now has the highest death rate in the UK.

Deaths per English region and UK nation 2001 onwards by The Institute of Alcohol Studies

• Across the UK, the alcohol-specific death rate for males is over twice the rate for females – at 20.2 per 100,000 compared to 9.7. (ONS, 2026)
• Male alcohol-specific deaths in England and Wales are 4 and 2.8 times higher respectively in the most deprived areas than the least deprived areas. (ONS, 2026)
• In Scotland, people in the most deprived areas are six times more likely to be admitted than those in the least deprived areas. (PHS, 2023)
• The alcohol-specific death rate is 53% higher in the North East relative to the English average. (ONS, 2026)
• You can find more data on alcohol deaths and inequality in England using DHSC’s Alcohol Profile tool.

• Alcohol-specific deaths in the North East vs. London show stark inequality between English regions.

• Over 75 people die every day in the UK because of alcohol (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not regularly publish data on alcohol-related deaths)
• • 21,971 people died from alcohol-related causes in England in 2024 (OHID, 2025)
  • 3,705 people died from alcohol-related causes in Scotland in 2015 (ScotPHO)
  • 1,500 people die from alcohol-related causes in Wales each year (PHW)
  • 341 people died from alcohol-specific causes in Northern Ireland in 2023 (ONS)

• The highest number of alcohol deaths and highest rates in the UK are among men and women aged 45 to 69 years of age

• Alcoholic liver disease accounts for three quarters of alcohol-specific deaths in the UK

• Alcohol causes 7 types of cancer: Breast, Larynx, Mouth, Throat/Pharynx, Oesophageal, Liver, and Bowel
• This happens because your body breaks alcohol down into the reactive, highly toxic chemical ‘acetaldehyde’, which damages DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage
• When DNA is damaged, a cell can begin growing out of control and create a cancer tumour

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• Alcohol-related cancers cause a similar number of deaths to alcohol-related liver disease
• Public awareness that alcohol causes cancer is very low, with only 13% of people identifying cancer as a health outcome of alcohol consumption (ScHARR)

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• Broad measure – where the primary reason for hospital admission or a secondary diagnosis was linked to alcohol.
• Narrow measure – where the main reason for admission to hospital was attributable to alcohol. (NHS, 2022)

England:

• By the broad measure:
  • In 2023/24, there were a total 1,018,986 alcohol-related hospital admissions in England, at a rate of 1,824 per 100,000 persons (OHID, 2025)
• By the narrow measure:
  • In 2023/24, there were a total 280,747 alcohol-related hospital admissions in England, at a rate of 504 per 100,000 persons (OHID, 2025)

Scotland

• In 2022/2023 there were:
• • 31,206 alcohol-related hospital admissions in Scotland (PHS, 2024).
    • 92% were treated in general acute hospitals (28,800)
    • 8% of admissions occurred in psychiatric hospitals (2,406)
  • Men were 2.4 times more likely than women to be admitted to general acute hospitals for alcohol-related conditions (749 stays per 100,000 compared to 315 stays per 100,000)
  • People in the most deprived areas were seven times more likely to be admitted to general acute hospitals for an alcohol-related condition than those in the least deprived areas (849 patients per 100,000 compared to 127 patients per 100,000)

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In Wales:

• By the broad measure:
  • There were 52,118 admissions of 32,716 patients to Welsh hospitals in 2022/2023. (Public Health Wales, 2024)
• By the narrow measure:
  • There were 12,628 admissions involving 8,464 patients to Welsh hospitals in 2022/23. (Public Health Wales, 2024)

In Northern Ireland:

• There were over 27,000 alcohol-related admissions to hospitals in 2017/18, the majority of which were for mental and behavioural disorders
  • 21,087 mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
  • 5,071 alcoholic liver disease cases
  • 1,715 cases due to toxic effect of alcohol (DoH, 2019)

• In England in 2024/25, there were 99,955 adults in contact with alcohol-only treatment services and 47,758 with treatment services for non-opiate and alcohol substance use (OHID, 2025).
• This means 170,893 were in treatment for alcohol use.
• Only 136,371 out of an estimated 608,416 people with alcohol dependence are accessing treatment, which is 22.4% (NDTMS).

• For those in for alcohol only, 60% were male and 40% female.
• 52% of people in treatment for substance use had a problem with alcohol.
• In England, only one in five dependent drinkers are predicted to be in treatment. (PHE, 2021)
• 57% of those starting treatment for alcohol in 2024/25 were self-referred. 28% were referred by a health and social care provider, such as a GP.
• From 2020/21 to 2024/25, there has been a 34% increase in new presentations for alcohol treatment (OHID, 2025). This is the highest number since records began in 2005/06.

New presentations to alcohol treatment by The Institute of Alcohol Studies