In 2021, men in England aged between 65 and 74 years consumed on average 15.9 units of alcohol per week, and women in the same age group drank on average 8.5 units per week. It is recommended that men and women should not regularly exceed fourteen units of alcohol in a week. For example, fourteen units of alcohol is equivalent to six pints of four percent beer.
Correlation in hospital admissions
The age group 65 to 74 years had one of the highest amount of hospital admissions in England due to alcohol consumption, with over 42 thousand men and 15 thousand women admitted to hospital.
Increase of alcohol-related deaths
In 2020, there were almost nine thousand alcohol-related deaths in the UK. Since 1994 the number of alcohol-related deaths in the UK has been increasing. Additionally, the number of deaths among men due to alcohol is consistently higher than in women in the UK in the last 25 years. In the UK, Scotland has the highest death rate due to alcohol among both genders.
FAQs
Since reaching a peak in the mid-2000s, consumption has been falling steadily – especially among young people. Today, average consumption per adult is about 9.7 litres of pure alcohol per year – or about 18 units a week.
How many units of alcohol are consumed in the UK? ›
Since reaching a peak in the mid-2000s, consumption has been falling steadily – especially among young people. Today, average consumption per adult is about 9.7 litres of pure alcohol per year – or about 18 units a week.
What are the current stats for people drinking alcohol in the UK? ›
England. In 2021, 49% of adults (aged 16+) drank alcohol on at least one day each week. 57% of men drank at least once a week compared to 43% of women. 8% of men reported drinking almost daily compared to 5% of women.
What is the drinking age in the UK 2021? ›
If you're under 18, it's against the law: for someone to sell you alcohol. to buy or try to buy alcohol. for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you.
What age group drinks the most in the UK? ›
Alcohol consumption in the last week
The proportions who reported drinking in the last week increased with age from 37% of 16 to 24 year olds to 63% of those aged between 55 and 64 years old, and were lower in the older age groups (61% of those aged 65 to 74 and 49% of those aged 75 and over).
What are the demographics of alcohol consumption? ›
According to the 2022 NSDUH, 135.7 million adults ages 18 and older (52.9% in this age group) reported that they drank in the past month. This includes: 70.3 million men ages 18 and older (55.2% in this age group) 65.3 million women ages 18 and older (49.8% in this age group)
Which age group consumes the most alcohol? ›
In 2022, it was estimated that around 63 percent of those aged 26 to 29 years in the United States were current alcohol drinkers, the highest rate of all age groups. Those aged 26 to 29 also had the highest rates of binge alcohol use.
Where does England rank in alcohol consumption? ›
Download Table Data
| Country | Both Sexes (L/year) | Male (L/year) |
|---|
| Austria | 11.93 | 18.42 |
| Poland | 11.89 | 18.65 |
| United Kingdom | 11.45 | 17.74 |
| Switzerland | 11.23 | 17.18 |
90 more rowsQuick Fire Facts on Alcohol Consumption
Here are what we consider the most important statistics from our 2024 research: 71.2% of adults in the UK consume alcohol at least once a week. 12.5% of adults in the UK declare themselves to be teetotal.
Who are the biggest drinkers in the UK? ›
Looking at drinking habits by age, the highest consumption was found among those aged 45 to 64 years, with 64.6% saying they drank alcohol in the past week; the lowest was found among those aged 16 to 24 years, with 47.9% saying they drank alcohol in the past week.
However, if you're 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal. If you're 16 or under, you may be able to go to a pub or premises that's primarily used to sell alcohol if you're accompanied by an adult.
What is the drinking age in the UK compared to the US? ›
At first glance, the drinking culture here in the US doesn't seem to differ too much from the one in the UK. Apart from the obvious difference in terms of legal age for alcohol consumption (18 in the UK versus 21 in the US), drinking is drinking, right? Well, not really.
Can 17 year olds drink at home UK? ›
It's legal: for over 18s to buy beer, wine or cider for 16 and 17 year olds if they're having a meal together in licensed premises, like a pub. for 5 to 17 year olds to drink alcohol at home or other private premises.
Are younger people drinking less in the UK? ›
In the The Portman Group's sixth annual survey in partnership with YouGov, 18 to 24-year-olds have been labelled as the UK's "most sober age group", with 39% avoiding alcohol altogether. 44% of the age group consider themselves as either an occasional, or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives.
How many units of alcohol per week for a woman? ›
Knowing your units will help you stay in control of your drinking. To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level if you drink most weeks: men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week.
Who drinks more, Americans or British? ›
Adults in Great Britain are most likely to report regular alcohol consumption, with 42% reporting that they drink alcoholic beverages a few times a week or more, versus about a quarter of Canadians (24%) and Americans (23%).
Who drinks more alcohol, the UK or the US? ›
The WHO stats places the UK at number 25 in terms of alcohol consumed per head of population, and the USA at number 48. However, in terms of the volume, rather than the league table, the numbers are 11.6 and 9.2 litres per head in the UK and the USA respectively.
Is a UK unit a standard drink? ›
What is a Standard Drink? In Ireland a Standard Drink has about 10 grams of pure alcohol in it. In the UK a Standard Drink, also called a unit of alcohol, has about 8 grams of pure alcohol.
How much do people really drink in the UK? ›
Quick Fire Facts on Alcohol Consumption
71.2% of adults in the UK consume alcohol at least once a week. 12.5% of adults in the UK declare themselves to be teetotal. The UK's favourite tipsy tipple is white wine, with 21.8% of people surveyed saying they drink it at least once a week.
