A third drinking more alcohol than before pandemic

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Organisations are being urged to help employees who are struggling with pandemic-related problem drinking, as a study has revealed a third of British adults are now drinking more alcohol than before the crisis.

The research from the Department of Behavioural Science and Health at the University College London found employees’ drinking behaviours have changed over the course of the pandemic, with just under a fifth admitting to consuming more units per drinking session.

Furloughed men were three times more likely to have increased heavy, episodic drinking – defined as six units per session – than those who continued to work during the pandemic, it found. Furloughed women were twice as likely as those in work to drink six or more units per session.

Young women and those living alone in lockdown were also more likely to have turned to drinking excessively, as were those who had seen a decline in their mental health.

Men turned to alcohol due to the challenges of childcare, the negative experience of social distancing and deteriorating finances and mental health , it found.

The findings prompted One Year No Beer, a campaign group that supports people to change their drinking habits, to encourage employers to help staff who could be struggling with problem drinking.

Founder and CEO Ruari Fairbairns said: “Lockdown has been extremely challenging for the nation, causing the most radical changes to work, home and social life – more than society has ever known. If the nation f