A quarter of adults in England shun booze
Almost a quarter of adults in the UK now abstain from alcohol altogether.
2024 data from the Health Survey for England shows that 24 per cent of adults say they did not drink alcohol in the last year; this rate was around 19 percent between 2011 and 2022, which has been around for a long time.
The change appears to be largely driven by younger generations, and men in particular. While about 39 percent of young men reported abstinence from alcohol, the rate was only 16 percent of men ages 65 and older. While 31 percent of women in the 16-24 age group stated that they do not drink alcohol, this rate dropped to 17 percent among women in the 55-64 age group.
Although fewer people are drinking overall, the survey highlights a more worrying trend among older age groups. Drinkers ages 65 to 74 are almost twice as likely to consume risky levels of alcohol compared with adults ages 25 to 34.
Income also plays a role. People living in more deprived areas were more likely to abstain from alcohol compared to wealthier communities; researchers say this pattern may reflect affordability, health awareness, or changing social norms.
Campaigners welcomed the decline in risky drinking among young people but warned that alcohol’s harm remains widespread.
Jem Roberts, Head of External Affairs at the Institute for Alcohol Studies, said: “Millions of people still drink at levels that significantly increase the risk of serious harm, from alcohol-related cancers to life-changing injuries and long-term illnesses, and we have seen record levels of alcohol-related deaths in recent years.”
He added that the increasing number of non-drinkers should not distract policymakers from the extent of the problem.
Roberts added: “The most effective way to reduce the record number of alcohol-related deaths is through measures such as minimum unit pricing, clear health warnings on alcohol labels, restrictions on alcohol availability and comprehensive bans on alcohol marketing.”
