Leicester has the highest rate of deaths linked to liver disease as a direct result of drinking in the county, new figures have revealed. A new map has highlighted the nationwide rise in alcohol-related deaths, with figures hitting new highs.
The maps, which is based government statistics, shows that Leicester has the highest rate in the county when it comes to dying from liver disease and other medical conditions that can be directly linked to drinking. The figure for Leicester, based on deaths between 2021 and 2023, is 19.5 deaths for every 100,000 people in Leicester.
The rates, which are based on the deaths by population numbers - comparing death by alcohol to the number of living people in each area, shows North West Leicestershire is the second highest in the county. Data shows that across the likes of Coalville, Ashby and Castle Donington, there were 18.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
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Nationally, 10,473 people in the UK lost their lives due to drinking in 2023 and that was a record high. It was also the fourth year running that new records were set, according to the figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Elsewhere around Leicestershire, Oadby & Wigston had the third-highest rate at 15.8, which was only a little ahead of Melton at 15.5. Next was Hinckley & Bosworth (12.6) followed by Charnwood (11.4), Blaby (10.8) and Harborough (10.4).
Nationally, males were twice as likely to die an alcohol-specific death than females, with a rate of 22 deaths for every 100,000 of the population, compared to 10 deaths per 100,000 for women. An alcohol-specific death is also more likely in the North than in the South.
See our map below to look at death numbers in your area:
As the map shows, Sunderland had the worst rate across England and Wales, with 29 deaths per 100,000 people. It is followed by Blackpool, South Tyneside and Middlesborough.
Lee Fernandes from alcohol addiction experts The UKAT Group, said: “People should not lose their lives because of alcohol, it is as simple as that. This legal yet incredibly addictive substance is harming our country in so many ways it’s becoming difficult to see a future where alcohol doesn't negatively touch every generation at some stage.
“We're urging the Government to reconsider a standalone National Alcohol Strategy - we haven't had one since 2012 and quite frankly, a lot has changed in the past 13 years.
“It’s time to recognise that alcohol misuse is a genuine problem, one that needs a solution or more people will die.”
Experts have called for measures such as minimum unit pricing, health warnings on labels, and tighter advertising regulations. Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said: “It is unacceptable that year after year, we continue to see alcohol deaths rise while action from government remains woefully inadequate.
“The drivers of this crisis are well known - cheap, easily accessible alcohol and aggressive marketing that normalises excessive drinking - as are the solutions proven to reduce harm. Measures such as minimum unit pricing, improved advertising regulations, mandatory health warnings on labels, and better investment in alcohol treatment services must be implemented across all UK nations without delay.
“The new government has committed to shifting from a system that merely treats sickness to one that prioritises prevention. Addressing alcohol harm must be central to this ambition.
"Just as we have seen strong political will to tackle the harms caused by tobacco, junk food, and gambling, we must apply the same urgency and commitment to reducing alcohol harm. Without meaningful intervention, these figures will continue to rise, and more lives will be lost.”
