Overview
- Government-backed 2024 data show 24% of adults did not drink in the past year, up from 19% in 2022 after a decade of relative stability.
- Male abstention rose to 22% from 17% in 2022, with no similar change reported for women overall.
- Young adults led the shift, with about a third of 16–24-year-olds abstaining, including 39% of young men.
- Risky use persists among drinkers: 27% of men and 15% of women exceed the NHS 14-unit weekly guideline, and those aged 65–74 are nearly twice as likely as 25–34s to drink at risky levels.
- Public-health groups highlight a record 8,274 alcohol-only deaths in 2023 and call for measures such as minimum unit pricing and tighter marketing as low and no-alcohol products gain traction.