On 3 March, the government has the opportunity to save lives and reduce alcohol harm.
Doing this has never been more urgent: deaths caused by alcohol have hit a new record high in England and Wales. Across the UK, approximately 80 people die every day from alcohol. High-risk drinking has increased by almost 90% between February and September last year. This doesn’t only harm the people who drink, but also those around them. Children have spoken about how their parent’s drinking can make them feel upset and helpless.
We believe we need to take action to stop this. Increasing alcohol tax is one of the most effective ways to reduce alcohol harm and save lives. This is why we are asking the government to increase alcohol duty by 2% in the Budget on 3 March, and to make a fairer alcohol tax system, that reflects the true cost of alcohol to society.
Will you email your MP to tell them to start saving lives? You can use the draft email we prepared or add a personal message to make it more powerful. If you care about alcohol harm, or have personal or professional experience, your MP needs to hear from you.