UK: Alcohol-related deaths soar since 1994

The number of deaths linked to alcohol consumption in the UK has nearly doubled in the last 20 years, new figures reveal, leading to stark warnings from health campaigners.

The figures show that while alcohol-related deaths are much higher than in 1994, the rise has halted in recent years (Photo: Wiki)

The Office for National Statistics has revealed the number of deaths linked to alcohol consumption for both men and women is considerably higher than 20 years ago across all regions of the UK.

In 1994, just 2,297 men and 1,369 in England and Wales died from alcohol-related diseases. In 2014, this went up to 4,739 and 2,568 respectively.

Accounting for rising populations in England and Wales, the death rate for men has gone from 11.1 to 18.2 per 100,000 people in the 20-year period, and for women it has gone from 5.8 to 9.2.

In Northern Ireland, the rate of alcohol-related deaths has gone from 11.7 to 20.3 for men and 7.2 to 8.5 for women between 1994 and 2014.

For both sexes, Scotland had the highest alcohol-related death rates in 2014, at 31.2 men per 100,000 and 13.3 women per 100,000.

However, Scotland has also showed the biggest drop in alcohol death rates since its in the early-2000s. In 2003, its death rate was 47.7 for men and 18.7 for women in Scotland.

There has been a general plateau in alcohol-related deaths since the UK peak in the mid-to-late 2000s, the ONS figures show, but this has frustrated health campaigners hoping to see a significant drop in the death rate.

Tom Smith, director of campaigns at charity Alcohol Concern, said: “These latest figures show that alcohol-related deaths are back on the rise and have almost doubled in the last 20 years.

“The figures also highlight the dangers of middle-aged drinking, with the highest number of alcohol-related deaths among 55 to 64-year-olds.

“Unless we start taking this seriously and acknowledge the health risks that too much alcohol can cause the situation will only get worse.”

Alcohol-related death rates were highest among 55 to 64-year-olds in 2014, with liver disease the biggest killer.

The figures discount cancers that may have been caused by alcohol consumption, and also drink-driving collisions.

Prof Kevin Fenton, the director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, said: “Alcohol harms individuals, families and communities and it’s crucial that, alongside effective local interventions and treatment for those that need it, we look more widely at what affects drinking behaviour in this country, such as marketing and pricing.

“Public Health England will soon be providing a report to government on how we can reduce the harms caused by alcohol.”