Highlights

Men and women

• Men were more likely than women to have drunk in the last week; 67% of men and 53% of women did so, including 18% of men and 10% of women who drank on five or more days in the week.
• Among adults who had drunk in the last week, 55% of men and 53% of women drank more than the recommended daily amounts, including 31% of men and 24% of women who drank more than twice the recommended amounts.
• On average, over a week, 62% of men usually drank up to 21 units a week and 61% of women usually drank up to 14 units a week, the level of drinking defined as lower risk. 

Income

• 81% of men and 69% of women on the highest income drank in the last week, compared with 51% of men and 39% of women on the lowest income. 

Age

• Drinking above recommended levels was highest among men aged 16-24 and women aged 16-34, and lowest among men and women aged 75 and over.          

Regional difference

• Men and women in the South West were least likely to have drunk more than the daily recommendation.
• Those in the North West, among men, and North East, among women, were most likely to have drunk more than the daily recommendation.
• Drinking more than twice the recommended levels was highest in the North East for both men and women.