These estimates are based on typical consumption across the year and do not represent consumption in any specific week.
In 2021, a minority of adults, 21%, had not drunk alcohol in the last 12 months. 57% of adults drank at levels which put them at lower risk of alcohol-related harm, that is 14 units or less each week. 21% of adults drank at increasing or higher risk of alcohol-related harm (more than 14 units per week).
Among those adults that drank alcohol, the average (mean) amount drunk was 11.6 units of alcohol in a typical week (14.7 units for men and 8.5 units for women).
There were some differences between men and women in typical weekly alcohol consumption, with women more likely not to drink or drink at lower levels than men.
- 19% of men and 24% of women did not drink alcohol in the last 12 months.
- 54% of men and 61% of women drank at levels that put them at lower risk of alcohol-related harm.
- A higher proportion of men (28%) than women (15%) drank at increasing or higher risk levels (over 14 units in the last week for both men and women.
- Men were more likely than women to drink at increasing risk levels (23% and 13% respectively).
- 5% of men drank over 50 units a week and 2% of women usually drank over 35 units a week (higher risk levels) in a week.
The proportions of men and women who usually drank more than 14 units in a week varied across age groups, increasing up to the age of 55 to 64 (28% of all adults, 36% and 21% of men and women respectively). The proportions drinking at these levels then declined among both sexes, from the age of 75 and above for men and age 65 and above for women. Across all age groups, men were more likely than women to drink at increasing or higher risk levels.
For more information: Table 11.