ONS: One in five adults now a teetotaller

Its Adult Drinking Habits in Great Britain​ report​, which covers 2013, showed 21% saying they did not drink at all – up from 19% in 2005.

It found the 16 to 24 age bracket were primarily responsible for the change, with the proportion of young adults who reported that they do not drink alcohol at all increasing by over 40% between 2005 and 2013.

The regional breakdown shows 17% of adults in the north east; 19% in the north east; 20% in Yorkshire and the Humber; 20% in the East Midlands; 25% in the West Midlands; 20% in the East of England; 32% in London; 18% in the south east; 15% in the south west; 22% in Wales and 21% in Scotland.

Binge drinking​

The proportion of adults saying they ‘binged’ at least once in the week before interview decreased from 18% in 2005 to 15% in 2013 with the number of young adults binging falling from 29% in 2005 to 18%.

Men were considered to have binged if they reported drinking more than eight units of alcohol on their heaviest drinking day in the week before interview, and women if they reported drinking more than six units.

The proportion of young adults who drank frequently has fallen by more than two-thirds since 2005. Only 1 in 50 young adults drank alcohol frequently in 2013.

Almost a third of adults in London (32%) said that they do not drink alcohol at all. This was considerably higher than any other region of Great Britain.

Adults in the north of England and in Scotland who drank in the week before interview were more likely to have ‘binged’ than adults anywhere in Great Britain.

Positive trends​

A spokesman for the Portman Group welcomed the decline in binge drinking. "This week official statistics have also shown an 18% decline in alcohol-related violent crime in just one year, and the alcohol-related death rate fell to its lowest level since 2000.

"These positive trends are part of a decade-long culture change around our improving relationship with alcohol in this country.

"But alcohol-related harms still remain and some local areas suffer much more than others. The best way to support these communities is to get local businesses, Police, local authorities and health services working together to improve town centres, tackle harmful drinking and make our high streets safer places to enjoy.”