Addiction in the UK
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Insights report
Report authors: Beth Mooney, Head of Policy and Strategy, Sophie Wilkinson, Senior Analyst, and Forward Trust
Tuesday 7th July 2026
A new report from Forward Trust and Crest Advisory estimates that around 1.1 million people across the UK are currently addicted to alcohol and/or illegal drugs, with drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales reaching their highest level on record in 2024.
The report, a systematic review of largely publicly available evidence with ad hoc insights from Forward Trust’s operational delivery and practice, found there is no precise data on the true scale of addiction in the UK. But the picture created from existing data shows the problem is widespread and, in some areas, worsening, with an estimated:
750,000 people addicted to alcohol
400,000 people addicted to illegal drugs
700,000 people currently in recovery from addiction
Alcohol addiction alone costs the NHS an estimated £3.5 billion every year.
Drug poisoning deaths registered in England and Wales in 2024 were the highest since records began in 1993, substantially above figures from a decade earlier - equivalent to 93.9 deaths per million people and around a 1% increase from a rate of 93.0 deaths per million people in the previous year.
Researchers point to nitazenes, synthetic opioids that can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin, as a significant driver of this rise. One criminal justice team leader told researchers that since the drugs first appeared in 2021, they have seen users, in their words, "dancing with death." Another case study quoted: "It's in everything. You can't get away from it."
The report also identifies chronic ketamine use as a fast-growing area of harm. Presentations to treatment services for ketamine use are now 12 times higher than a decade ago, with illicit use rising most notably among school-aged children and university students.
Beyond the human toll, the report highlights that:
People with substance use disorders are more likely to commit crimes than the general population — though this remains a minority of the addiction population
Drug supply networks are closely linked to violence, exploitation, and drug-related homicides
Addiction reduces employment and weakens people's contribution to the wider economy
The report authors call for the maintenance of reliable funding for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services in every area of the country. They encourage the growth of services that provide support for non-opiate drug use and alcohol addiction, which they argue is currently significantly under-resourced despite growing demand.
Beth Mooney, Head of Policy and Strategy at Crest Advisory and report co-author, said:
“Our report highlights the prevalence of addiction to alcohol and illegal drugs in the UK and the significant harm this can cause to individuals, families and communities. It is clear that patterns of addiction and demand for treatment continue to change - there has been a recent increase in demand for support with alcohol consumption and non-opiate drug use, for example. It is vital that the treatment sector is funded consistently to be able to respond to changing needs and ensure, ultimately, that treatment is available to and accessible by everyone who seeks it.”
Mike Trace, CEO of The Forward Trust and author of the UK’s first National Drug Strategy, said:
“With change happening at the heart of government, we need a rethink and reboot when it comes to the UK’s approach to addiction. As our report highlights, addiction is a significant contributor to family and community disruption, as well as a driver of crime and health inequalities. Labour has yet to produce a comprehensive plan to tackle drug or alcohol addiction, and I call on the new Prime Minister to make this a priority.
“Addressing these problems is going to require the courage to think and act differently. We need to be proactive in removing the conditions that give rise to addiction. We need to be making it much easier for people to talk about addiction problems. And we need all our public health services to become addiction-recovery champions, pooling their knowledge and skills to treat the whole person in their journey towards recovery.”
Chair of The Forward Trust, former Arsenal and England football captain Tony Adams, said:
“I speak from experience. For most of my career as a professional footballer, I was addicted to alcohol. In 1996, following an almighty binge that started with England’s elimination from our home European Championships, I somehow found the determination, inspiration and support to get and stay sober. I haven’t touched alcohol in the last 30 years. I have lost many good people to alcohol and drugs, and I have had the privilege to witness and help thousands more to find recovery.
"This report aims to inform the national conversation on addiction. Please use the material in this report to support your own conversations – with friends and family, in the work place, and in local and national policy discussions.”
