Alcohol

Excessive drinking is a major cause of disease and health inequalities are clearly evident as a result of alcohol-related harm.

  • The annual cost of alcohol misuse to society is around £21 billion. It was also estimated that there is a £3 social return for every £1 spent on alcohol treatment.
  • There is a 23-year life expectancy reduction in patients with alcohol-related conditions.
  • It is important to acknowledge the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on both the changes on alcohol consumption and access to care and treatment.

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Our resources

Our resources

Data and reports

We have produced the following needs assessments:

We have also produced an analysis of the overlap between obesity, alcohol and smoking (PDF, 636.3 KB) and an analysis of the One You initiative in Kent and alcohol and liver disease profiles for CCGs in Kent.

Alcohol Licensing Tool

The Licensing Act 2003 (the Act) is managed by local licensing authorities. It covers the sale and supply of alcohol, entertainment, and late-night food service. The Act promotes four statutory licensing objectives:

  • Preventing crime and disorder
  • Ensuring public safety
  • Preventing public nuisance
  • Protecting children from harm

Licensing authorities must create a statement of licensing policy (SLP) every five years. This policy outlines how they will handle licensing under the Act. It also describes the authority's vision and identifies local risks.

Under the Act, several public bodies, known as responsible authorities, must be consulted on SLPs. They are notified of applications and can make representations to the licensing authority. Directors of Public Health in England or their representatives are among the responsible authorities.

While public health isn’t a specific licensing objective, it relates to all the objectives. The Kent Public Health Observatory has developed an alcohol licensing tool. This tool uses health data to highlight vulnerable areas in the County regarding alcohol-related harm. It helps improve understanding of local issues related to the licensing objectives.

Reducing alcohol supply is a key focus of the Kent Drug & Alcohol Strategy. It encourages collaboration in high-risk areas of Kent to limit access to cheap alcohol for vulnerable people. Stakeholders will work with various partners to assess the impact of Local Alcohol Areas. They will share lessons learned and support enforcement agencies in overlapping areas. Reducing alcohol sales helps tackle underage drinking, strengthens the link between crime and alcohol-related violence, and emphasises prevention.

We hope this tool aids Public Health, other responsible authorities, and licensing authorities in making representations for alcohol license applications and developing SLPs. You can access it here: KCC Alcohol Licensing Tool

External resources

External resources

A number of organisations produce statistics relating to alcohol and its impact on health, both at national and local level.