11th May 2026
Alcohol‑specific deaths fell sharply in 2024, dropping to 9,809 deaths across the UK the lowest since 2021 and the first meaningful decline since 2018. But rates remain highest in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and men continue to die at roughly twice the rate of women.
9,809 alcohol‑specific deaths registered in 2024 — 6.3% lower than 2023’s record high of 10,473.
UK death rate: 14.8 per 100,000, lowest since 2020.
Men: 20.2 per 100,000
Women: 9.7 per 100,000
England and Wales saw falling rates.
Scotland saw a fall but still high at 20.9 per 100,000.
Northern Ireland hit a record high at 21.4 per 100,000.
North East England remains the worst‑affected English region (21.1 per 100,000).
Trend Overview
Alcohol‑specific deaths had risen steeply from 2019–2023 (up 38.4%).
2024 marks the first reversal of that trend.
2019: 7,565 deaths (11.8 per 100k)
2022: Peak rate of 16.6 per 100k
2023: 10,473 deaths (15.9 per 100k)
2024: 9,809 deaths (14.8 per 100k)
ONS notes that most alcohol‑specific causes are chronic, so changes in consumption take time to show up in mortality.
Age Patterns
Rates fell for ages 25–79.
80+ saw an increase.
20–24 remained stable.
Regional Breakdown
England
Rate: 13.8 per 100k (down from 2023).
North East worst in England: 21.1 per 100k.
London lowest: 10.9 per 100k.
Wales
Rate: 16.8 per 100k (down).
Scotland
Rate: 20.9 per 100k — still high, but lowest since 2019.
Northern Ireland
Rate: 21.4 per 100k — record high, only UK nation with an increase.
Definitions (ONS)
Alcohol‑specific deaths: Conditions wholly caused by alcohol (e.g., alcoholic liver disease).
Alcohol‑attributable deaths: Wider category including conditions partly linked to alcohol (e.g., heart disease, cancers).
Are the chances of dying from alcohol higher than winning the lottery?
Yes — your chances of dying from alcohol are vastly higher than your chances of winning any UK lottery jackpot. The difference isn’t small; it’s thousands to millions of times higher, depending on the lottery.
Alcohol‑specific death risk (UK)
The latest ONS data shows a UK alcohol‑specific death rate of 14.8 per 100,000 people per year (2024).
That is roughly:
1 in 6,750 chance per year of dying from an alcohol‑specific cause.
Lottery jackpot odds (UK)
UK Lotto: 1 in 45,057,474
EuroMillions: 1 in 139,838,160
Thunderball: 1 in 8,060,598
Health Lottery: 1 in 2,118,760 (small jackpot)
What this means in plain English
Even the easiest UK jackpot (Health Lottery) is:
314 times less likely than dying from alcohol in a given year.
UK Lotto is:
6,675 times less likely than dying from alcohol.
EuroMillions is:
~20,700 times less likely than dying from alcohol.
Put another way:
You are thousands of times more likely to die from alcohol than to win a lottery jackpot.
Why the comparison is so extreme
Alcohol‑specific deaths are real, measurable, population‑level risks that occur every year.
Lottery jackpots are designed to be almost impossible to win — the odds are deliberately astronomical.
Even moderate drinking increases long‑term risk, while buying a lottery ticket does not increase your chance of winning.
Read the full ONS HERE