Alcohol deaths in Scotland remain 'appallingly high' as critics say minimum unit pricing drive has failed

Alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland fell to 1,185 in 2024, the lowest total since before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to National Records of Scotland. But campaigners warned that the toll remains appallingly high and that Scotland continues to record the highest alcohol-specific death rate in the United Kingdom.

Overall, the 2024 rate stood at 20.9 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 22.5 in 2023. The figure marks the 12th consecutive year with more than 1,000 deaths. Male deaths accounted for about two-thirds of the total, with 801 men and 384 women dying from alcohol-specific causes. Among local authorities, Glasgow City Council registered the highest rate, at 32.9 deaths per 100,000, with Inverclyde (31.9), West Dunbartonshire (28.7) and Dundee (28.2) also posting above-average figures.

National Records Scotland noted that Scotland has had the highest rate of alcohol-specific deaths among UK nations in almost every year since records began in 2001, but said the gap with other countries has narrowed. In 2001, Scotland’s rate was between 2.1 and 2.9 times higher than its UK peers; by 2023, the difference was between 1.2 and 1.5 times higher. For 2023, Scotland recorded 22.5 alcohol-specific deaths per 100,000, while the North East of England was higher among UK regions. The UK average stood at 15.9 per 100,000, with Wales and Northern Ireland recording 17.7 and 18.5, respectively.

Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said the latest numbers show progress but warned that there is no room for complacency. “Despite the welcome drop in deaths from alcohol reported today there is no room for complacency, they still remain appallingly high and more than double the level of 30 years ago. Yet action taken so far hasn’t matched the scale of this crisis. The Scottish Government must do better.”

Annie Wells, the Scottish Conservative shadow drugs and alcohol minister, faulted the government’s approach and called for changes to policy. “With alcohol deaths remaining shamefully and devastatingly high, it’s clear the SNP’s approach is not working. Ministers must stop seeing their flagship minimum unit pricing policy as a silver bullet when so many Scots families are tragically losing loved ones to the scourge of alcohol addiction. As with drugs, Scotland’s alcohol death rate is among the worst in Europe on the SNP’s watch. And, as usual, it’s the most deprived communities in the country that are hit the hardest by the nationalists’ incompetence. Rather than doubling down on MUP, which is a blunt instrument for a complex problem, SNP ministers should finally support our Right to Recovery Bill.”

In 2024, the rate of alcohol-specific deaths for males remained more than double the rate for females, at 29.6 and 13.1 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively. Maree Todd, the SNP’s drug and alcohol policy minister, welcomed the fall in deaths but acknowledged there is “still a lot of work to be done to save and improve lives.” She said the government is collaborating with local Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships and others to provide targeted, person-centred support, backed by record funding around £160 million this year. Todd added that ongoing efforts are supported by research commending the country’s minimum unit pricing policy as world-leading and suggesting it has saved hundreds of lives and likely prevented hundreds of alcohol-related hospital admissions.

The discussion around minimum unit pricing remains a central point in Scotland’s broader strategy to curb alcohol-related harm. Since its introduction in 2018, proponents say MUP has reduced consumer purchasing power for cheapest alcohol and redirected some resources toward treatment and prevention. Critics, however, argue the policy does not address deeper determinants of harm and call for expanded treatment options, increased funding for support services, and a broader set of public health measures. The government says it is pursuing a multi-faceted approach that includes local partnerships, early intervention, and ongoing evaluation of policies’ effectiveness.

The debate intensified as parties weighed the most effective path forward. The SNP government emphasized funding levels and collaboration with local partnerships, while opponents urged legislative changes to enshrine a patient-centered right to treatment, including residential rehab and abstinence programs, regardless of income or location. The country’s health authorities stressed that alcohol harm is a public health priority requiring sustained investment and policy coherence to reduce mortality and morbidity over time.

Overall, the data confirm a downward trend in alcohol-specific deaths, but they also underscore persistent disparities and regional variation. Health officials and policymakers say continued, evidence-based action is essential to sustain improvements, particularly in the most deprived communities, where the burden remains disproportionately high. The 2024 figures suggest progress, but the broader goal of bringing Scotland’s alcohol-related death rate in line with its UK peers remains a work in progress.