Alcohol is seen as one of the major causes of crime in urban Britain today. It is associated with a million crimes in the UK every year.
Alcohol-related crime makes up a substantial portion of violent offences across the UK in particular (39% in England and Wales in 2017/18, 54% in Scotland in 2014/15, and 40% in Northern Ireland in 2016/17), and is estimated to cost between 1.3 and 2.7% of the UK annual GDP (£21-£52 billion), according to a 2016 Public Health England report.
Alcohol also places a significant burden on the emergency services – three quarters of police and half of ambulance respondents have been injured in alcohol-related incidents – while research has also highlighted the role of alcohol in domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and violent crime including murder.
A number of drivers of alcohol-related crime identified include price, the density and types of premises, and extended drinking hours. Policies aiming to address these drivers exist at both a national and local level in the UK. These range from licensing regulations to tough penalties for criminal behaviour linked to alcohol. Research suggests Minimum Unit Pricing also presents an effective policy option.
Resources available on this page:
- Frequently Asked Questions about 'Violence and crime', with infographics presenting the most up-to-date statistics on the subject
- Factsheets providing an in depth perspective on the subject of 'Violence and crime'
- Publications, Blogs, and News tagged 'Violence and crime' for further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Publications (View all)

Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy Institute of Alcohol Studies Submission
February 2021
Blogs (View all)
Revoking the ‘License to Drink’: Emerging evidence on mandatory sobriety
26th June 2020 | Beau Kilmer
Could 24/7 programs solve lingering questions about who gets the right to drink? Read more »
Inequalities in alcohol-related violence victimisation and what we should do about it
5th June 2020 | Lucy Bryant
Lucy Bryant presents evidence-based recommendations for how to reduce the harmful effects of inequalities in which alcohol plays a role Read more »
Evaluating the effect of individual alcohol licensing decisions on local health and crime
13th May 2020 | Frank de Vocht
Licensing authority control of alcohol availability can have a positive impact on health and crime in a local vicinity Read more »
News (View all)
Most disadvantaged disproportionately at risk of alcohol-related violence
Study finds alcohol-related domestic violence victimisation up to 14 times as common in lowest socioeconomic groups Read more »