Tell the government: use alcohol duty to protect lives and fund public services

Alcohol harm is directly linked to affordability — the cheaper alcohol is, the more people drink, and the greater the harm to our health, communities, and frontline services.

Alcohol duty is one of the most effective tools the government has to protect public health, reduce harm, and raise public funds to support economic growth.

By introducing a duty escalator on non-draught alcohol to keep alcohol tax 2% above inflation, the government could generate £3.4 billion over the next five years.That’s enough to fund and sustain the salaries of 35,000 nurses, or contribute to life-saving alcohol harm prevention and support services. 

This would also save lives and protect families from devastating losses: the only time that deaths from alcohol stabilised over the last 20 years was when the duty escalator was in place between 2008 and 2013.

It’s time for the government to prioritise people’s health and essential public services over alcohol industry profits.

Write to the Financial Secretary today and urge the government to act in the Autumn Budget. Together, we can support our NHS and build stronger, healthier communities.