UK alcohol harm 2026
The latest ONS and OHID figures on alcohol-specific deaths and hospital admissions in England, ranked by region.
England headline (2023)
- 8,274Alcohol-specific deaths, England
- 14.5Age-standardised rate per 100,000
- +38%Change vs 2013
Highest annual figure on record for England. Deaths sit under the narrow ONS/OHID definition — conditions wholly caused by alcohol (alcoholic liver disease, alcohol-related mental & behavioural disorders, alcohol poisoning).
| Region | Death rate /100k | Admissions rate /100k | Adults in treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 21.6 | 830 | 15,400 |
| North West | 18.1 | 780 | 47,800 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 15.4 | 700 | 34,500 |
| West Midlands | 15.2 | 660 | 32,100 |
| South West | 14.9 | 570 | 20,200 |
| East Midlands | 14.7 | 620 | 22,800 |
| South East | 12.7 | 500 | 27,600 |
| East of England | 12.5 | 490 | 18,700 |
| London | 11.2 | 430 | 33,900 |
What this shows
The North East and North West continue to lead England on both alcohol death rates and hospital admissions. London posts the lowest rates on both measures despite the largest raw population.
Only around one in five adults with alcohol dependence in England accesses structured treatment in any given year, per OHID — a treatment gap that has widened, not narrowed, since 2013.
Sources
- OHID — Local Alcohol Profiles for England (Fingertips profile 87). fingertips.phe.org.uk
- ONS — Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK: registered in 2023. ons.gov.uk
Last updated: 2024-10. Free to cite under CC BY 4.0 — please credit Clearpath UK Rehab and link back.