Alcohol Policy UK

Budget 2018: still no favour for health calls

The 2018 budget has disappointed health groups by freezing beer and spirit duties, though wine duty is set to rise in line with inflation. Most cider duties are frozen though a new duty band for cider at 6.9% to 7.5% will come into effect in February 2019 seeking to target infamous 'white ciders', though already questions have been raised about the likely impact.

In the run up to the budget we reported on the recent campaigns and lobbying activity seeking to influence alcohol duty decisions, including a £9 million 'Long live the Local' campaign calling for a cut in beer duty. However claims that beer duty cuts would help save pubs are contested given they may further increase the price gap between the on-trade and supermarkets. Health groups of course had been calling for rises to alcohol duties as both a possible consumption policy lever but also to help fund depleted alcohol treatment services.

Licensing figures 2018 & Home Office consultation

The Home Office have released 2018 statistics on alcohol and late night refreshment licensing in England and Wales, showing a further small but consistent rise in the total number of licensed premises. The release also includes a short consultation [pdf] on the statistical bulletin.

As seen in recent years, a further small rise of 1,100 (1%) in the total number of licensed premises (212,800) has been recorded since last year. In addition to total premises licenses, figures also show in March 2018 there were:

Can duty cuts save pubs? Lobby groups target 2018 budget

Its no secret that pub numbers have been in decline for decades, but less clear is the role duty and tax policies may have played. Ahead of the 2018 budget, a number of industry-led campaigns have again been vying for the Chancellor's attention in calling for freezes on alcohol duties.

However as seen in the run up to previous budgets, questions over who really gains and who loses from alcohol duty freezes have been raised, with some stating that cuts or freezes actually harm pubs. Whilst clear or publicly available evidence may be lacking, some have pointed out that cuts and freezes to beer duty have seen falls in supermarket prices, but actually rises in pub prices. During the duty escalator period of 2008-2013 (for beer) the rising gap between pub and supermarket beer prices appeared to have been halted, as put forward in an IAS briefing on 'The rising affordability of alcohol' [pdf] and seemingly supported by evidence on tax changes in a 2012 RAND report.

Findings bulletins: IBA in primary care update, MUP impact on low income groups, licensing outcomes, sexual minority harms

Recent bulletins from the Findings drug and alcohol bank: 

Review finds that brief alcohol advice in relatively normal primary care practice reduces drinking

Update of a key document forming the basis of claims that brief interventions work in ‘real-world’ settings. Combined findings from randomised trials confirm that brief advice in primary care can reduce drinking; now the issue is whether in normal practice those benefits will be realised on a grand enough scale to create public health gains.

Could low income areas experience the greatest health benefits of a minimum pricing policy?

Alcohol Charter calls for evidence based national strategy

An Alcohol Charter has been released by a cross-party parliamentary group and thirty organisations calling for the forthcoming national alcohol strategy to reflect the PHE evidence review for reducing alcohol harm.

Download the Alcohol Charter [pdf] here.

The Charter includes a call to increase alcohol duties by 1% above RPI in order to provide £100 million ring-fenced for alcohol treatment services which are currently "in crisis" according to a recent report. It also makes key calls to improve support for those in need, measures to protect public health and actions to address alcohol-related crime and disorder, attracting some media attention.

Alcohol Research UK & Alcohol Concern seek trustees & Dry January evaluation

The organisation formed as a merger of Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Research UK is seeking ​up to six new trustees from a variety of backgrounds to join its board.

The two charities announced the merger in 2017, inevitably sparking some debate within the alcohol field. The background information for the trustee positions states:

'Currently, all the existing activity of the previously separate organisations is continuing and both the Alcohol Research UK and Alcohol Concern brands have been retained. We have confirmed our new strategic framework, have selected a new name and have approved our new brand. In mid-November our new website will launch and we will go public with the name, brand and strategy'.

Alcohol-related liver disease admissions still rising

The latest figures from Public Health England (PHE) show hospital admissions for liver disease continue to rise, with a total of 20,202 admissions for alcoholic liver disease in 2016/17. See PHE Liver Disease Profiles here.

PHE state since 2013/14 the admission rate for alcoholic liver disease has been significantly increasing every year, making up close to one third of the total 68,364 liver disease admissions in England. Liver disease is 'almost entirely preventable' according to PHE, with the major risk factors of alcohol, obesity and hepatitis B and C accounting for up to 90% of cases.

Wales and Ireland step closer to minimum pricing

The Welsh Government has proposed a 50 pence per unit minimum unit price (MUP) expected to be introduced in the summer of 2019 following a further consultation.

Wales passed MUP legislation via the The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act in June 2018 following an open consultation and Scotland's green light after a long running legal challenge. Scotland introduced a 50p MUP in May 2018 and is currently undertaking a range of evaluation methods to review its impact.

Events & dates 2018: DARC framing risk, European Alcohol Policy, MCA, SSA, Club Soda & more

Forthcoming alcohol conferences and events in 2018:

[update] Putting communities in charge of alcohol: a health champion model

On the 6 November in Manchester, an event will explore a current project developing community capacity through Alcohol Health Champions (AHC's) across Greater Manchester. The project is led by the University of Salford and others with support from the Econonomic & Social Research Council (ESRC). Drawing on the lay expertise of the audience, it will explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing an asset based community development (ABCD) approach to improving health outcomes. Further information and booking here.

[update] 'Dying for a drink': SHAAP report launch

On Friday 26 October in Edinburgh, an event organised by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) will launch its report: 'Dying for a drink' on alcohol mortality in Scotland. There were 1,235 alcohol-related deaths in Scotland in 2017, and 3,705 alcohol-attributable deaths in 2015. The report was compiled over several months by an expert group and delivered to the Scottish Government in September 2018; it will lead work to enhance understanding of alcohol-related deaths in Scotland. See here for registration.

Forthcoming alcohol conferences and events in 2018:

[update] Putting communities in charge of alcohol: a health champion model

On the 6 November in Manchester, an event will explore a current project developing community capacity through Alcohol Health Champions (AHC's) across Greater Manchester. The project is led by the University of Salford and others with support from the Econonomic & Social Research Council (ESRC). Drawing on the lay expertise of the audience, it will explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing an asset based community development (ABCD) approach to improving health outcomes. Further information and booking here.

[update] 'Dying for a drink': SHAAP report launch

On Friday 26 October in Edinburgh, an event organised by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) will launch its report: 'Dying for a drink' on alcohol mortality in Scotland. There were 1,235 alcohol-related deaths in Scotland in 2017, and 3,705 alcohol-attributable deaths in 2015. The report was compiled over several months by an expert group and delivered to the Scottish Government in September 2018; it will lead work to enhance understanding of alcohol-related deaths in Scotland. See here for registration.

News & updates September 2018: Labour pledge hospital alcohol teams, drink-drive limit questioned, health, pubs & more

Selected media stories since the August update:

Alcohol treatment figures are falling despite record numbers of people with dependency, reports The Guardian. The figures come as MP Jon Ashworth pledges Labour would fund an alcohol care team in every district hospital at a cost of £13.5 million, though would result in savings of £40 million to the NHS. Figures suggest that at least 41 English hospitals do not currently have an alcohol care team in place - The Metro.

Drink-drive limits are too high suggests a BBC report. In England, Wales or Northern Ireland, it says 'you can drink a surprising amount of alcohol before you go above the current drink-drive limits'. However even within the limits - 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood- drinkers are up 13 times more likely to kill someone than a driver with a zero BAC. The drink-drive limit is the highest in Europe with most countries at 50mg per 100ml. "The government currently has no immediate plans to lower the drink-drive limit" a Government spokesperson said.