Alcohol deaths rose to a record high of 9,641 in 2021. This is up from 8,974 deaths in 2020.
The latest data from the Office for National statistics show fatalities from alcohol have seen a spike since the pandemic.
Rates of alcohol-specific deaths (deaths which are wholly attributed to alcohol) in the UK remained stable between 2012 and 2019.
Within the UK, Alcohol death rates continue to be highest in Scotland, with Northern Ireland coming in second.
In England, the sharpest risers in deaths were in the East Midlands, followed by the East and North West.
“It is a national tragedy that the number of deaths caused by alcohol has increased once again across the UK,” Alcohol Health Alliance chair Professor Sir Ian Gilmore said.
“COVID-19 saw the number of alcohol deaths increase sharply across the UK, and the continuation of this upward trend in today’s figures should raise alarm bells in Westminster.”
Close to 80% of deaths were from alcoholic liver disease. This remains consistent with data dating back to 2001.
Gilmore added: “It is all too clear that we are amidst a public health crisis, and urgent action is needed to address these levels of harm. We desperately need the UK Government to deliver on well-evidenced policies, such as an effective alcohol duty system, to reverse this tragic trend.”
