Provisional data show increase in deaths caused by diseases known to be a direct consequence of alcohol misuse in England and Wales

Provisional data show that in 2020, there was a 19.6% increase in alcohol-specific deaths when compared to the previous year (13.0 versus 11.0 per 100,000 people), with increases in each successive quarter (28.3% higher than 2019 in quarter 4).

SPS commentary:

The report states there will be many complex factors to consider when trying to understand the elevated rates observed in alcohol-related deaths since April 2020. Data from Public Health England show consumption patterns have changed since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this is a contributing factor to hospital admissions and death.

Office for National Statistics