15/08/2005

Alcohol-related deaths rise in UK

The number of alcohol-related deaths is rising in the UK, with some parts of the country reporting an almost 50% increase within four years.

The figures, compiled by the Office of National Statistics and released in response to a parliamentary question by the Liberal Democrats, showed an increase of 18.4% in alcohol-related deaths across England and Wales, from 2000.

According to the ONS figures, there were 5,525 deaths related to alcohol in 2000, compared to 6,544 in 2004. The figures relate to deaths where alcohol was the primary cause, such as alcohol poisoning and liver disease.

The area with the biggest increase in alcohol-related deaths was Yorkshire and the Humber, where the figures rose by 46.5%. In the North East, the number of deaths increased by over a quarter (28.4%), while the West Midlands, the North West and Wales, all reported increases of over a fifth, at 24.2%, 24.1% and 21.4%, respectively.

However, alcohol-related deaths in London dropped by 4.2% between 2000 and 2004, the ONS reported.

The figures were released as the government prepares to relax licensing laws, allowing 24-hour drinking from November this year. The government hopes that the new legislation will cut down on binge drinking and encourage a more ‘continental’ style of drinking culture.

However, Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone described the ONS figures as “deeply worrying”. She said: “The government must address the underlying reasons why people are drinking themselves literally to death.

“I am worried that the proposed change to licensing laws will add to this startling increase in drink-related deaths.”

(KMcA/SP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

03 February 2014
One In Three Women Diagnosed With Breast Cancer Are Over 70
One in three women diagnosed with breast cancer in England each year are aged 70 or over. This age group also accounts for more than half of all breast cancer deaths annually, latest figures show. This age group also accounts for more than half of all breast cancer deaths annually, latest figures show.
26 September 2012
ONS Figures Show Population Increase Of 1,000 A Day
The UK’s population is growing by 1,000 a day, according to new figures released by the Office for National Statistics. Record levels of immigration and a higher birth rate have seen the number living in England and Wales grow by twice the European average.
03 October 2003
2,000 extra deaths recorded during August heat wave
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has reported that, during the recent heat wave, there were more than 2,000 deaths over and above the monthly average. On each of the 10 days from August 4 to August 13, estimated numbers of deaths in England and Wales were above average for those days over the last five years.
08 February 2006
Violent crime drops despite drinking legislation change
Violent crime in England and Wales dropped by 11% at the end of last year, according to the latest figures from the Home Office. The figures, the first since legislation allowing extended drinking hours was introduced last November, included a six week period during which police were given an extra £2.5 million to tackle alcohol-related crime.
22 January 2014
ONS Figures Show Further Fall In UK Unemployment
New figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown that the UK's unemployment rate has fallen to 2.32 million, a decrease of 167,000 in the three months to November. The unemployment rate currently stands at 7.1%. The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance also dropped to 1.