A record rise in alcohol-related harm in the UK has raised alarm, with over 10,000 deaths directly linked to alcohol in 2022 – a 33% increase since 2019. Alcohol now stands as the leading risk factor for death, illness, and disability among 15-49-year-olds in the UK, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. This surge has highlighted the deepening health inequalities within the nation, with people from the most deprived areas suffering the brunt of the damage.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), emphasises the stark disparities in how alcohol affects different communities. Despite drinking less than wealthier groups, those from lower-income backgrounds are significantly more likely to experience alcohol-related harm. In fact, they are twice as likely to die from alcohol-related causes than those in more affluent areas. Regions such as the north-west and north-east of England are particularly hard-hit, experiencing the highest rates of hospitalisations and deaths.

The AHA, alongside the Inequalities in Health Alliance (IHA), is calling for the government to adopt an evidence-based alcohol strategy. This would include measures such as setting a minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol, improved regulation of alcohol advertising, and the introduction of ‘protecting and improving public health’ as a licensing objective in England and Wales. Scotland’s successful introduction of MUP in 2018, which led to a 13% reduction in alcohol-related deaths, is a model that England could follow.

For these policies to be effective, they must be backed by long-term funding for treatment services, with a focus on communities that suffer the most from alcohol-related harm. The AHA stresses that action on alcohol will not only save lives but will also help tackle the profound inequalities that see the most vulnerable disproportionately affected.

Addressing alcohol harm isn’t just about reducing numbers—it’s about improving lives. With the right policies and support, we can give vulnerable communities a fairer chance at a healthier future.

Source: Royal College of Physicians