There has been “a catastrophic rise” in deaths caused solely by alcohol in England over the past four years, government figures suggest.
More than 8,200 people died because of alcohol in 2023 – a 42% rise on 2019 – with the North East having the highest rates.
The Alcohol Health Alliance UK says alcohol consumption could be reduced if a minimum price for each unit was introduced, as in Scotland.
The government says it’s unacceptable that alcohol deaths are at record high levels and it will prioritise public health in its 10-year plan for the NHS in England.
During the pandemic, deaths caused by alcohol rose sharply across the UK. Heavier drinkers were drinking more while others, including more moderate drinkers, cut down or gave up entirely.
And when pubs were shut, many people started buying alcohol in shops and drinking at home.
Since then, deaths have continued to go up in England – although more slowly than in previous years. Most deaths are among men, who are dying early – before the age of 75 – from alcohol-related liver disease.
Analysis by the Institute of Alcohol Studies suggests 55-74-year-olds “are now the heaviest-drinking age group”, which it says could be driving current trends.
Another factor could be the cost-of-living crisis which may have triggered heavier drinking among people faced with higher bills.
“Economic hardship can lead to people cutting down on their drinking, to save money, but it can also lead to an increase in drinking as a response to stress,” says Colin Angus, addictions expert from the University of Sheffield.
The Alcohol Health Alliance, which represents 60 organisations working to reduce the harm it causes, says deaths from alcohol sends ripples through society, “putting growing pressure on our economy and health services”.
Heavy drinking cuts lives short, shatters families and leaves children to cope with grief and trauma, it says.
The alliance predicts further rises in deaths from alcohol “and an ever greater burden on our healthcare system and society”.
Its chairman, Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, said: “Without bold, decisive action, these preventable deaths will continue to climb. Addressing alcohol harm must be a top public-health priority in 2025, and it requires a cross-government effort to turn the tide on this public-health crisis.”
In Scotland, where alcohol-specific death rates have always been higher, there were 1,277 deaths from alcohol in 2023 – the same as the previous year.
The Alliance says minimum unit pricing of alcohol in Scotland, introduced in 2018, “has proven effective in reducing alcohol-related harm”.
The minimum cost of a unit of alcohol there has risen from 50p to 65p in recent months. This means no alcoholic drink can be sold for anything below this price.
Critics of minimum pricing say that serious drinkers will continue to buy alcohol and simply cut back on other things. They say it’s unfair on those who drink responsibly, particularly those on low incomes.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said there had been an unwillingness to lead on issues such as alcohol harm, smoking and obesity “for too long”.
“It is unacceptable that alcohol deaths are now at record high levels.
“Our 10-year health plan will shift the focus of the NHS from sickness to prevention. This means prioritising public-health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.”
Amy Dickson, 46, from Reigate in Surrey, lost her dad Steve in September 2020.
She said he had been an alcoholic “her entire life” but as his addiction worsened, his health rapidly declined.
“He kind of just kept tracking along and then it was lockdown,” said Ms Dickson, a trustee for Nacoa, a charity for the children of alcoholics.
“The wheels came off for a lot of people during that time. There was nothing else to do.”
He died age 68, but Ms Dickson said the fact he survived until then was “a miracle” due to his extensive range of alcohol-related conditions.
She said she’s had to lobby for alcoholism to be included as a contributing factor on his death certificate, alongside internal haemorrhaging and heart disease.
She believes that with “more and more people” talking about addiction and mental health issues, alcoholism may be more regularly recorded as a cause of death.
Ms Dickson called for greater access to support for those struggling with alcoholism to prevent future deaths.
“It’s really hard to get help,” she said. “Rehabilitation services have been cut, mental health services are on their knees.”
