The number of alcohol-related deaths in the UK hit record levels in 2023, prompting council chiefs to call for certainty over funding for public health services.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal nearly 10,500 deaths from alcohol-specific causes were registered in the UK in 2023 – the highest on record.
Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said the figures should be a ‘wake-up call’ about the impact of alcohol.
‘Every life lost to alcohol misuse is another tragic reminder that there is still more work to do, including the need to reduce pressure on the NHS and social care,’ he said.
‘It is essential that Government publishes councils’ public health grant for next year and provides certainty over funding, as soon as possible, to help achieve this shared ambition.’
