Scotland recorded 1,152 alcohol-specific deaths in 2025, according to figures published today by National Records of Scotland (NRS). That is 33 fewer than the 1,185 recorded in 2024, a fall of 3%. The headline sounds like progress, and in a small way it is. The detail underneath tells a harder story.
The biggest number in the release is not the total. It is the gap. In the most deprived fifth of Scotland, the age-standardised rate was 40.2 deaths per 100,000 people. In the least deprived fifth, it was 8.3. That is a gap of 4.8 times, and it is wider than the 4.5 times seen in the 2024 figures from the same tables.
Use the tool below to see how your own council area compares. It uses the NRS five-year rates for 2021 to 2025, which are the most reliable way to compare places. If you are interested in other ways Scotland differs from place to place, our look at the 17-year age gap inside Scotland follows the same approach.
Age-standardised rate per 100,000 people, five-year average 2021 to 2025, National Records of Scotland.
Source: National Records of Scotland, Alcohol-Specific Deaths 2025, Tables 4B and 5. Rates use the 2013 European Standard Population. Deaths are allocated by usual residence. Council rates are five-year averages because yearly numbers are small. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Key Findings
- 1,152 deaths in 2025. Down 33 (3%) from 1,185 in 2024. The age-standardised rate was 20.2 per 100,000, against 20.9 in 2024.
- A 4.8 times gap by deprivation. The rate was 40.2 per 100,000 in the most deprived fifth of areas and 8.3 in the least deprived fifth.
- Men account for two in three deaths. There were 758 male deaths (27.8 per 100,000) and 394 female deaths (13.3 per 100,000).
- Glasgow City has the highest council rate. Over 2021 to 2025 its rate was 32.5 per 100,000, about 2.7 times the 11.9 seen in both Aberdeenshire and East Renfrewshire.
- Rates are still well below the peak. The 2025 rate is 29% below the 28.5 recorded in 2006, when deaths reached 1,417.
- Women face a smaller gap but a real one. The female rate in the most deprived fifth was 24.3 per 100,000, against 5.3 in the least deprived fifth.
What the 2025 figures show
The national picture
NRS counts alcohol-specific deaths, meaning deaths from causes that are known to be caused exclusively by alcohol. That covers conditions such as alcoholic liver disease and alcohol dependence. It is a narrower definition than the older "alcohol-related" measure, which NRS stopped updating after the 2019 figures.
The 2025 age-standardised rate of 20.2 per 100,000 has a 95% confidence range of 19.0 to 21.3. The 2024 rate of 20.9 sits just inside that range, so NRS describes the rate as similar to last year. The fall in the raw number of deaths is real, but the change in the rate is small.
Over a longer span the trend is clearer. The rate was 24.5 in 2000, peaked at 28.5 in 2006, fell to 18.5 in 2019, then rose to between 21.4 and 22.6 from 2020 to 2023 before dropping back. Deaths followed the same shape: 1,020 in 2019, 1,277 in 2023, and 1,152 in 2025.
Men and women
Alcohol-specific deaths are still much more common among men. The 2025 male rate of 27.8 per 100,000 is 2.1 times the female rate of 13.3. Male deaths fell by 43 from 801 in 2024, while female deaths rose slightly from 384 to 394.
The female rate has stayed in a narrow band, between 12.6 and 15.1 per 100,000 for every year from 2019 to 2025. The male rate has moved more, from 25.0 in 2019 to 31.7 in 2023 and down to 27.8 now.
Which ages are affected
Deaths are concentrated in middle and older age. In 2025 the age-specific rate was 41.3 per 100,000 for people aged 45 to 64 and 42.1 for those aged 65 to 74. For ages 25 to 44 it was 10.6, and for those aged 75 and over it was 23.5. The table recorded no alcohol-specific deaths among people aged 10 to 24.
The deprivation gap is the headline
Five steps, one clear pattern
NRS ranks every small area in Scotland using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), then groups them into five equal parts. The alcohol-specific death rate falls at every step from most to least deprived in 2025.
| Deprivation fifth, 2025 | Deaths | Rate per 100,000 | 95% range | Compared with least deprived |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most deprived (1) | 404 | 40.2 | 36.2 to 44.1 | 4.8x |
| Quintile 2 | 291 | 27.0 | 23.9 to 30.2 | 3.3x |
| Quintile 3 | 196 | 17.0 | 14.6 to 19.5 | 2.0x |
| Quintile 4 | 160 | 12.6 | 10.7 to 14.6 | 1.5x |
| Least deprived (5) | 101 | 8.3 | 6.7 to 10.0 | 1.0x |
The 404 deaths in the most deprived fifth are 35% of all 1,152 deaths. The five quintile totals add up to the national figure exactly.
Why the gap widened
The most deprived fifth rate was 40.0 in 2024 and 40.2 in 2025, so it barely moved. The least deprived fifth rate fell from 8.8 to 8.3. The gap grew because the least deprived areas improved while the most deprived areas did not.
- Men: 57.8 per 100,000 in the most deprived fifth, 11.8 in the least deprived. That is a gap of 4.9 times.
- Women: 24.3 per 100,000 in the most deprived fifth, 5.3 in the least deprived. That is a gap of 4.6 times.
- Everyone: 40.2 against 8.3, a gap of 4.8 times.
NRS also gives a note of caution. SIMD and urban-rural figures for 2025 use 2024 population estimates, because the 2025 small-area estimates were not yet available. Single-year numbers for small groups can also move around. The longer-run pattern is the safer thing to rely on.
Council areas ranked by alcohol-specific death rate
Council figures are five-year averages, because the yearly numbers in smaller areas are too low to compare fairly. For 2021 to 2025 the Scotland rate was 21.7 per 100,000, from 6,135 deaths. The 32 council area deaths add up to that total.
The top of the table
Glasgow City is first at 32.5 per 100,000 from 883 deaths. Inverclyde (31.5), North Lanarkshire (29.7), West Dunbartonshire (29.4) and Na h-Eileanan Siar (29.0) follow. If you are planning a visit, none of this changes what makes the area worth seeing. Our guides to Glasgow, Greenock in Inverclyde and the best Scottish islands are all still worth a read. It simply shows where support and prevention work matters most.
The bottom of the table
Aberdeenshire and East Renfrewshire share the lowest rate at 11.9, followed by East Lothian at 12.3 and East Dunbartonshire at 12.6. Edinburgh sits near the middle at 20.2 per 100,000, which is below the national rate. If you are comparing cities, our guides to a day in Edinburgh, things to do in Edinburgh and Dundee cover the places themselves. Dundee City, at 27.6, is the sixth highest.
Full council area ranking
| Rank | Council area | Rate per 100,000 | Deaths 2021 to 2025 | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasgow City | 32.5 | 883 | 30.3 to 34.6 |
| 2 | Inverclyde | 31.5 | 137 | 26.1 to 36.9 |
| 3 | North Lanarkshire | 29.7 | 523 | 27.1 to 32.2 |
| 4 | West Dunbartonshire | 29.4 | 135 | 24.4 to 34.4 |
| 5 | Na h-Eileanan Siar | 29.0 | 48 | 20.7 to 37.3 |
| 6 | Dundee City | 27.6 | 193 | 23.7 to 31.5 |
| 7 | Renfrewshire | 25.9 | 250 | 22.7 to 29.1 |
| 8 | South Lanarkshire | 23.3 | 409 | 21.0 to 25.6 |
| 9 | Highland | 22.6 | 304 | 20.0 to 25.2 |
| 9 | North Ayrshire | 22.6 | 170 | 19.1 to 26.0 |
| 11 | Aberdeen City | 22.2 | 234 | 19.3 to 25.0 |
| 12 | Clackmannanshire | 22.1 | 64 | 16.6 to 27.5 |
| 13 | East Ayrshire | 21.7 | 140 | 18.1 to 25.3 |
| 14 | Angus | 20.9 | 135 | 17.3 to 24.5 |
| 14 | Argyll and Bute | 20.9 | 110 | 16.8 to 24.9 |
| 16 | City of Edinburgh | 20.2 | 468 | 18.4 to 22.1 |
| 16 | Fife | 20.2 | 397 | 18.2 to 22.2 |
| 18 | South Ayrshire | 19.5 | 126 | 16.0 to 23.0 |
| 19 | Falkirk | 19.4 | 164 | 16.5 to 22.4 |
| 19 | West Lothian | 19.4 | 181 | 16.5 to 22.2 |
| 21 | Orkney Islands | 19.0 | 23 | 11.0 to 27.0 |
| 22 | Dumfries and Galloway | 18.1 | 149 | 15.1 to 21.1 |
| 23 | Shetland Islands | 17.4 | 20 | 9.7 to 25.1 |
| 24 | Moray | 17.0 | 87 | 13.4 to 20.6 |
| 25 | Midlothian | 16.6 | 83 | 13.0 to 20.2 |
| 26 | Perth and Kinross | 16.4 | 139 | 13.6 to 19.1 |
| 27 | Stirling | 15.8 | 77 | 12.3 to 19.4 |
| 28 | Scottish Borders | 15.4 | 104 | 12.3 to 18.4 |
| 29 | East Dunbartonshire | 12.6 | 75 | 9.7 to 15.5 |
| 30 | East Lothian | 12.3 | 75 | 9.5 to 15.1 |
| 31 | Aberdeenshire | 11.9 | 171 | 10.1 to 13.7 |
| 31 | East Renfrewshire | 11.9 | 61 | 8.9 to 14.9 |
Be careful with the smaller areas. Orkney Islands (23 deaths) and Shetland Islands (20 deaths) have very wide ranges, so their positions in the table could shift a lot with only a few more or fewer deaths. As NRS puts it, if two ranges overlap you cannot say for certain that the true rates differ.
Urban, rural and health board views
NRS also publishes the same data by urban-rural group. In 2025 the rate was highest in large urban areas at 23.9 per 100,000 and lowest in accessible rural areas at 12.7. Remote small towns recorded 22.7, but from only 36 deaths, so their range runs from 15.1 to 30.2. If you are thinking about a move, our guide to moving to Scotland from England and the data on where people are moving give a wider view than one health statistic.
| Area type, 2025 | Deaths | Rate per 100,000 | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large urban areas | 459 | 23.9 | 21.7 to 26.1 |
| Other urban areas | 407 | 20.9 | 18.9 to 22.9 |
| Accessible small towns | 97 | 18.8 | 15.0 to 22.6 |
| Remote small towns | 36 | 22.7 | 15.1 to 30.2 |
| Accessible rural areas | 96 | 12.7 | 10.1 to 15.3 |
| Remote rural areas | 57 | 15.9 | 11.6 to 20.3 |
At NHS board level for 2021 to 2025, Greater Glasgow and Clyde recorded 26.9 per 100,000 and Lanarkshire 26.5. Grampian recorded 16.3. The Western Isles, a single-council board, recorded 29.0 from 48 deaths.
What this means for places across Scotland
Deprivation shows the steepest gradient in these tables. A high-rate council is not simply a place where people drink more. The NRS data cannot show the causes of a higher rate. It only shows where the deaths are, and how that changes across deprivation, area type and time.
The pattern is not a simple city versus country split either. The Highlands recorded 22.6 per 100,000, close to the national rate, while Argyll and Bute recorded 20.9 and Dumfries and Galloway 18.1. Our guides to the Highlands, Islay and Dumfries and Galloway cover those places for visitors, while the figures show that rates vary within rural Scotland as well.
Population change is another way places differ. Our pieces on the fastest growing council areas, places people are leaving and the population and migration explorer help put these numbers in context, as does our look at Scotland population projections.
Drinking, travel and everyday life
Nothing here is a reason to avoid Scotland, or a pub. A pint in a good bar is part of the trip for many visitors, and our list of pubs in Edinburgh is popular for a reason. The figures are about deaths from causes known to be caused exclusively by alcohol, which is a different matter. If you are worried about your own drinking or someone else's, your GP is the best first call, and NHS 24 can be reached on 111.
How to Use the Widget
- Choose your council area from the drop-down list. The result shows your rank out of 32, where 1 is the highest rate.
- Read the four tiles: your area rate, the Scotland rate, deaths over 2021 to 2025 and how your area compares with the lowest rate.
- Check the bars to see how your area sits against Scotland, the highest area and the lowest area.
- Tap any council in the ranked list to switch to it, or compare as many as you like.
- Press Copy result to share your result. It copies a short line with the rate, the rank and the source.
Remember that these are five-year averages and that every rate has a range around it. Treat close ranks as a tie rather than a real difference. If your area has a small number of deaths, the tool will say so.
About the Data
All figures in this article come from the NRS Alcohol-Specific Deaths 2025 tables published on 27 October 2026, plus the NRS methodology note. We checked that council area deaths add up to the Scotland total of 6,135 for 2021 to 2025, that SIMD and urban-rural deaths each add up to 1,152 for 2025, and that male and female deaths sum to the national figure. The 4.8 times gap is 40.2 divided by 8.3.
- National Records of Scotland: Alcohol-Specific Deaths 2025, the main publication.
- Alcohol-Specific Deaths 2025 all tables (XLSX), the data file used for every figure here.
- Alcohol-specific deaths methodology (PDF), covering the definition and rates.
- Scottish Government: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020, which defines the deprivation fifths.
- Scottish Government: Urban Rural Classification 2020, behind the urban-rural groups.
- ScotPHO: alcohol, Public Health Scotland's alcohol data pages.
- Public Health Scotland, the national public health body.
- ONS: Alcohol-related deaths in the UK, for UK-wide figures on a different definition.
- Scottish Government: alcohol and drugs policy.
- National Records of Scotland, the publisher.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
If you are building plans around Scotland data, our official statistics calendar lists upcoming releases, and the Scotland guide is a good place to start for everything else. For trips out from the biggest city, try our day trips from Glasgow, or see what the Fife coast has to offer.
FAQ
How many people died from alcohol-specific causes in Scotland in 2025?
NRS recorded 1,152 alcohol-specific deaths registered in 2025. That is 758 men and 394 women, and 33 fewer deaths than in 2024.
What is the alcohol death rate in Scotland?
The 2025 age-standardised rate was 20.2 deaths per 100,000 people, with a 95% range of 19.0 to 21.3. The 2024 rate was 20.9. NRS describes the two as similar.
Which council area has the highest alcohol death rate?
For 2021 to 2025, Glasgow City had the highest rate at 32.5 per 100,000, followed by Inverclyde at 31.5 and North Lanarkshire at 29.7. Aberdeenshire and East Renfrewshire had the lowest, both at 11.9.
What does alcohol-specific mean?
It means deaths from causes known to be exclusively caused by alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease. It does not include deaths where alcohol was one possible factor among several. NRS has used this definition as its main measure since 2017.
Why does NRS use five-year averages for council areas?
The yearly numbers in smaller areas are low, which makes rates jump around from year to year. Averaging 2021 to 2025 gives a more stable picture. NRS says to focus on the longer-term trend rather than single-year changes.
What is the SIMD and why does it matter here?
The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ranks small areas by measures such as income, employment, health and housing. Alcohol-specific death rates rise with each step towards the most deprived areas, which is why the 4.8 times gap is the headline.
Can I compare my rank directly with another area?
Only with care. If the 95% ranges for two areas overlap, NRS says you cannot be certain the true rates differ. Small areas such as Orkney and Shetland have particularly wide ranges.
Where can I get help for alcohol problems in Scotland?
Start with your GP, or call NHS 24 on 111. Your GP can also point you to local alcohol support services.
