The numbers of deaths due to alcohol reached a record high, latest data shows. A total of 10,473 people died due to diseases known to be a direct consequence of alcohol in 2023.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics, released on Wednesday, revealed alarming rates of alcohol deaths per 100k people in multiple UK districts.
Sunderland tops the list with 29.3 per 100,000 people having died due to alcohol in the area. Between the numbers registered in 2020 and those registered in 2023, Sunderland saw a staggering increase of 58.6% in the number of alcohol deaths.
A total of 36 other local authorities have too registered a rate of over 20 deaths per 100,000 people, as Blackpool (28.4), South Tyneside (26.2), Middlesbrough (24.9), and Lincoln (24.2) closely mirror the trends of Sunderland. Lincoln’s case, in particular, is of concern, as the local authority saw an increase of 109.1% in the number of alcohol deaths over the years.
In the south east and east of England regions, the picture is more positive. Waverley (5.6) and Surrey Heath (6.1) are amongst the districts with the lowest alcohol death rates registered.
Data viewpoints
Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board: “These stark statistics should act as a wake-up call about the impact of alcohol on our general health, including for those with alcohol-related conditions, such as reaching out to people who have not yet been in treatment.”
“Councils, which are responsible for public health services, are committed to continue supporting everyone with alcohol problems.”
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance: “Today’s figures paint a bleak picture of the ongoing harm caused by alcohol across the UK. It is unacceptable that year after year we continue to see alcohol deaths rise while action from government remains woefully inadequate.”
“The drivers of this crisis are well known – cheap, easily accessible alcohol and aggressive marketing that normalises excessive drinking – as are the solutions proven to reduce harm.”
Ash Singleton, director of research and public affairs at Alcohol Change UK: “The tragically high number of alcohol-specific deaths, and the thousands more not reflected in this data where alcohol is a contributing factor, are not a coincidence, but a direct result of years of government inaction to tackle this harm to save and improve lives.”
About this map
The map below was created using our ‘Local Authority Districts 2024’ template, with data from the Office for National Statistics.
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