The total number of deaths wholly attributed to alcohol was 1,152 last year, marking a decrease of 33 compared to 2024. This reduction was primarily driven by a fall of 43 deaths among males, while deaths among females saw an increase of 10. Despite this, the death rate among males remains twice that of females.
Phillipa Haxton, Head of Vital Events Statistics for NRS, noted that the 2025 figure is the lowest recorded since 2020 and significantly below the peak observed in 2006. However, she highlighted that the current death rate is approximately 1.7 times higher than in 1994, when records for this series began. The average age at death from alcohol-specific causes has also increased, rising from 54 to 60 years since 1979, compared to an average age of 77 for all causes of death in 2025.
The statistics also reveal persistent inequalities, with alcohol-specific death rates in the most deprived communities remaining 4.8 times higher than in the least deprived areas, although they have fallen over time. For all causes of death, the most deprived areas have a rate twice as high as the least deprived.
Over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, the rate of alcohol-specific deaths exceeded the Scotland average in several council areas, including Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee City, and Renfrewshire. Scotland and Northern Ireland continue to report the highest rates of alcohol-specific deaths in the UK, based on the latest available UK-wide data for 2024.
National Records of Scotland is responsible for producing statistics on Scotland’s population. Further details can be found in the publication 'Alcohol-specific Deaths 2025' on their website. Recommendations from the 'Reporting of Substance Toolkit' by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs and Adfam are also available.
