Quarter of UK adults drinking more under lockdown, study finds

Alcohol charity warns government not to ‘sleepwalk’ into second national shutdown without plan for mental health support

Study indicates many of us are drinking more at home (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

More than a quarter of adults in the UK consumed more alcohol than usual during the first coronavirus lockdown, a new study has found — sparking fears the nation is storing up huge health problems.

The alcohol education charity Drinkaware has warned the government not to “sleepwalk” into another lengthy lockdown period without a plan to prevent problem drinking.  

Some 26 per cent of people in the UK increased their alcohol consumption between March and June, the organisation found — despite pubs being closed for more than three months.

The charity’s annual report into the UK’s drinking behaviour found job insecurity, poor mental health and a lack of daily structure contributed to far greater consumption at home in 2020.

Drinkaware’s annual report also found a rise in UK adults were now drinking four times a week or more — with the figure jumping from 16 per cent in 2019 to 19 per cent this year.

The charity’s chief executive, Elaine Hindal, said: “As a nation we must wake up to the health impact of drinking so much alcohol. The evidence clearly links drinking more to job insecurity and negative mental health.”

She added: “If general uncertainty lies ahead, it is crucial that we do not sleepwalk into the winter months and ignore these lockdown lessons. Otherwise, the UK could face a huge wave of alcohol-related health issues.”

Drinkaware — funded by donations from UK alcohol producers — has now called on Boris Johnson’s government to prioritise the impact of alcohol harm and said the issue should be carefully considered as a part of a strategy for mental health.

Other charities have said a month-long national lockdown in winter will take a heavy toll on people’s mental health. Mind, Carers UK and Age UK say the government has to learn from mistakes in the first wave and make sure people get more support.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, says the imminent lockdown across England could be “the greatest test of our mental health this year”.

A YouGov study of more than 9,000 UK adults commissioned by Drinkaware found that women were more likely to be drinking more than usual compared to men during lockdown, with 27 per cent reporting an increase, as opposed to 25 per cent of men.

Ms Hindal added: “Our monitor shows that when people are feeling fragile, whether they’re uncertain about their futures or struggling with working at home, they could be reaching for a drink.”

She added: “Drinking can cause mental health conditions or make them worse, negatively affect your sleep, lead to weight gain, and has the potential to impair your immune function. It can also have many other serious long-term mental and physical health consequences.”