Survey suggests sobriety is on rise, with gender and regional differences in proportion of non-drinkers
One in four adults in England do not drink alcohol, with increasing numbers of men and young people deciding to stay sober, according to a survey.
The figures, which come from a questionnaire of 10,000 people as part of the Health Survey for England, found that almost a quarter (24%) of adults in England had not drunk alcohol in 2024, an increase from just under a fifth (19%) in 2022.
Women appeared slightly more abstemious than men, as 26% did not drink alcohol that year compared with 22% of men. The proportion of non-drinkers increased in both genders compared with previous years.
The survey also indicated regional variations in alcohol consumption. The West Midlands and London had the highest proportions of non-drinkers, at 27% and 26% respectively, compared with north-east England’s 17%.
