Alcohol across society - Institute of Alcohol Studies

For example, since the year 2000, the gap between men and women’s alcohol consumption has closed markedly, the proportion of underage drinkers (defined here as those who purchase alcohol for consumption before they reach the minimum legal purchase age of 18) has receded, young drinkers’ intake (adults between 16 and 24 years of age) has become less frequent (but no less heavy), and survey data appear to show alcohol-related health issues mounting among a generation of older-aged Brits (those between 45 and 64 years of age), who appear to be relatively heavier drinkers than previous generations.

Facts and stats

What is the alcohol harm paradox?

The phenomenon where as the level of socioeconomic deprivation increases, so does alcohol-specific mortality, despite such groups consuming less alcohol

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What is the alcohol harm paradox? by The Institute of Alcohol Studies

How does alcohol affect anti-social behaviour?

Lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to experience high frequency alcohol-related anti-social behaviour; around half of those from the lowest socioeconomic groups who ever experienced this in the last year experienced it every week or more often (IAS, 2020)
1 in 10 people experience alcohol-related antisocial behaviour every year. (ONS, 2019)

How does alcohol affect children and families?

Incidence rates for alcohol-related domestic violence among the most disadvantaged groups were up to 14 times higher compared with the least disadvantaged (IAS, 2020)
1 in 5 people in England had been harmed by others drinking alcohol over a single year. (Beynon, C. et al, 2019)
In England, approximately 200,000 children are predicted to live with an alcohol dependent parent. (Pryce, R. et al. 2017)
These children are six times more likely to experience domestic violence, three times more likely to consider suicide, and two or three times more likely to go on to have addiction problems themselves. (Nacoa, 2023)

What is the link between alcohol and homelessness?

People who experience homelessness have an increased risk of problem drug and alcohol use and are at increased risk of a range of acute and chronic harms including poisoning, seizures, liver disease, cancers, assault and injuries, putting them at high risk of premature death. (Parkes et al. 2021)
Alcohol-specific causes accounted for almost one in 10 (9.6%) of estimated deaths of homeless people registered in 2021. (ONS, 2022)
9% of people starting treatment for alcohol in 2021/22 reported a housing problem. (OHID, 2023)