Booze-free Britain: Quarter of adults now don’t drink AT ALL

Almost a quarter of adults in England now don’t drink alcohol at all, new figures suggest – with young people and a rising number of men turning their backs on booze.

Data from the Government-backed Health Survey for England found 24 per cent of adults had not had a single alcoholic drink in the last 12 months – up from 19 per cent in 2022.

It marks a sharp jump after years of relative stability. Before 2024, and since 2011, the proportion of non-drinkers had largely hovered between 17 and 20 per cent.

Among those who did drink, the survey found 51 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women drank at lower-risk levels.

But men were far more likely to drink heavily, with 27 per cent drinking at increasing or higher-risk levels, compared with 15 per cent of women.

Researchers grouped drinkers by risk using weekly unit totals. 

Lower risk meant sticking to 14 units a week or less, while ‘increasing or higher risk’ meant drinking above this – with ‘higher risk’ defined as more than 50 units weekly for men and more than 35 units for women.

As a rough guide, a pint of average-strength beer is around two to three units, while a medium (175ml) glass of wine is about two units.

The findings come as low- and alcohol-free drinks boom in popularity, with more adults opting for ‘sober curious’ lifestyles, alcohol-free beers and no-alcohol cocktails instead of the traditional pint or glass of wine.

As of May last year, 53 per cent of UK adults had drunk low or no-alcohol beer, wine, cider, spirits or cocktails in the previous 12 months.

Last year, Mintel estimated the market value of low and no-alcohol drinks to be £413 million and said it looked set to keep growing until 2030.

The survey suggests women are still slightly more likely to avoid alcohol entirely. It found 26 per cent of women had not drunk in the past year, compared with 22 per cent of men.

But the biggest shift appears to be among men.

While there was no change over time in the proportion of women who had not drunk in the previous year, 22 per cent of men were non-drinkers in 2024, up from 17 per cent in 2022. 

Young people were the most likely to have skipped alcohol altogether.

Among men, 39 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds said they hadn’t had an alcoholic drink in the last year – falling to 17 per cent of those aged 75 and over.

Among women, the highest proportions of non-drinkers were those aged 16 to 24 (31 per cent) and 75 and over (30 per cent), while the lowest proportion was women aged 55 to 64.

However, while many are cutting back, the figures also show a significant minority are still drinking at levels linked to higher risks of alcohol-related harm.

The UK’s guideline is that adults should drink no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis – roughly the equivalent of six pints of beer or six medium glasses of wine.

Five per cent of men drank more than 50 units a week, and three per cent of women drank more than 35 units, both classed as higher risk.

Older adults also appeared to be most at risk of drinking heavily. People aged 65 to 74 were almost twice as likely to drink at risky levels (29 per cent) as those aged 25 to 34 (14 per cent).

In total, an estimated 11.2 million adults had not drunk alcohol in the last 12 months.

The survey also found people in more deprived areas were more likely to be non-drinkers – a pattern which can reflect a complex mix of health problems, lower incomes, cultural differences and changing social habits.

The Health Survey for England also revealed other snapshot measures of the nation’s health, with 27 per cent of adults classed as inactive, and 46 per cent reporting at least one longstanding illness or condition.