The parts of Devon with the most lethal drinking problems have been laid bare by a new map revealing the areas with the highest mortality rates for deaths caused by alcohol.

Some 9,809 people died from alcohol specific causes across the UK in 2024, the latest figures available. These are deaths where health conditions are a direct consequence of drink, such as alcoholic liver disease, alcohol poisoning or mental and behavioural disorders caused by drinking.

While that was a 6% drop from the record 10,473 the previous year, and the lowest number of deaths since 2021, it was still 30% higher than in 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The figures show that alcohol-related deaths surged by 19% between 2019 and 2020, after the UK went into lockdown, and have remained high since then.

A drink-related death is more likely in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North of England than it is in the South. In 2024, the mortality rate was highest in Northern Ireland, with 21.4 alcohol-specific deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Scotland (20.9), Wales (16.8), and England (13.8).

Of English regions, the highest rates were in the North, particularly the North East (21.1).

The mortality rate was significantly lower in the South West (12.8),

Across Devon as a whole, the mortality rate was 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people, meaning people are less likely to die as a direct consequence of drinking alcohol than in most of the country.

However, local authority figures show that three parts of Devon had mortality rates higher than the England average (13.8) and the UK average (14.8) – and Torbay has the biggest problem with drink in our county. Between 2022 and 2024, 80 people died as a direct cause of alcohol in Torbay. That translates to a mortality rate of 18.4 deaths per 100,000 people, the highest rate in Devon.

Mortality rates are also well above average in Exeter (16.5) and Plymouth (15.2). Areas with high mortality rates could potentially benefit from extra resources and targeted help to tackle alcoholism.

Meanwhile, a drink-related death is far less likely in South Hams, which has the lowest mortality rates in Devon, and one of the lowest rates in the UK (5.9).

You can see the deaths and mortality rate where you live using our interactive map.

Simon Phillips, CEO of drug and alcohol treatment provider for England and Scotland, WithYou, said: “Thousands of preventable deaths continue to devastate families and communities across our country – and according to government data over 75% of dependent drinkers still aren’t accessing treatment.

“Although the number of deaths has decreased and more people are in treatment than ever before, underfunded services, an overstretched workforce, and more than a decade since the Government’s last alcohol strategy, mean any progress is precarious.

“Reducing alcohol harm in the UK requires a sustained, real-terms increase in investment in treatment services, so that organisations like WithYou can continue to have a positive impact on people’s lives.

“We also need an evidence-based alcohol strategy for the whole country, alongside greater focus on addressing the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to alcohol-related harm, including isolation and poor mental health. Without these changes we will continue to see people dying. Even one death is too many.”

Zaheen Ahmed, Head of Treatment at alcohol addiction treatment provider The UKAT Group, added: “Alcohol-specific deaths may have fallen slightly over the past year, but they remain one-third higher than before the pandemic.

“That reflects what we see every day in our rehabs: Drinking habits intensified during coronavirus and many people are now paying the price. Today’s figures show the most devastating consequence of lockdown binge drinking: Loss of life. Behind every number in this report is a person who died directly from alcohol abuse- an unnecessary death- making this a truly heartbreaking read.”

The figures also show that men are twice as likely to die as a direct consequence of drinking alcohol as women. Last year, 6,480 males died from alcohol-specific causes, which translates to a mortality rate of 20.2 deaths per 100,000 males, double the rate for females (3,329 deaths, a rate of 9.7 per 100,000 females).