FOI Ref: FOI/2021/2898
You asked
Please supply the following information:
1. The definition of alcohol related deaths.
2. The number of deaths each year in the UK of alcohol related deaths.
2. The definition of smoking related deaths.
The number of deaths each year in the UK of smoking related deaths.
3. The number of car accidents in the UK each year.
The number of car accidents in the UK each year where the driver was over the legal drinking limit.
The number of deaths caused by drink driving each year in the UK.
4. UK government income each year that can be attributed to sales of tobacco products.
UK government income each year that can attributed to sales of alcohol.
5. Estimated cost to the NHS for patients with smoking related illnesses, each year.
Estimated cost to the NHS for patients with alcohol related illnesses, each year.
We said
Thank you for your enquiry for statistics on deaths relating to alcohol, smoking and car accidents.
Statistics on mortality are derived from the information provided when deaths are certified and registered. These statistics are assessed fully compliant with the Code of Practice for Statistics and are therefore designated as National Statistics. More quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in the Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK Quality and Methodology Information (QMI) report.
The National Statistics definition of alcohol-specific deaths includes only those health conditions where each death is a direct consequence of alcohol misuse (that is, wholly attributable deaths; see Table 2). Most of these are chronic (longer-term) conditions associated with continued misuse of alcohol. The conditions included in the definition are defined using the International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision; ICD-10); as such, the data time series of this release begins in 2001, when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) started coding deaths using ICD-10.
This is the latest publication Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) which provides data for which provides alcohol specific deaths from 2001 to 2019. This is the latest data available.
We have also published Quarterly alcohol-specific deaths in England and Wales: 2001 to 2019 registrations and Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) to Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2020 provisional registrations. This is the latest quarterly data available.
We do not hold the information you have requested about smoking habits as they are not recorded as part of the death registration process. Therefore, we do not have a definition for deaths that relate to smoking. When a death relating to smoking is registered, the underlying cause that led to the death is recorded and coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). A death relating to smoking would be attributed to the underlying cause that led to the failure of the body.
NHS Digital may be better placed to answer your enquiry about smoking related deaths. They can be contacted via the following email address at enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk.
However, you may find the following useful:
We have produced analysis of Adult smoking habits in the UK, in partnership with Public Health England. The latest data available is for 2019.
NHS England have produced analysis of smoking-related ill health and mortality, the latter using ONS mortality data. You can view this data here: Statistics on Smoking, England 2020.
Deaths estimated to be attributable to smoking, by region and local authority, per 100,00 population are provided in Public Health England Fingertips Tool Local Tobacco Control Profiles.
If you wish to look at mortality statistics by underlying cause of death, you may obtain this data via NOMIS.
We do not hold data relating to road accidents, these are held and published by the Department for Transport (DfT). DfT data on reported drink or drug driving accidents and casualties can be found here. DfT are contactable by email at roadacc.stats@dft.gov.uk and they may be able to provide you with more information.
The duty paid to central government for both alcohol and tobacco are available in tab psa6d_1 of the attached excel spreadsheet published as a part on the monthly public sector finances release. These data cover the calendar years 1998 to 2020. These numbers are not adjusted for inflation.
We do not hold information on the estimated cost to the NHS for patients with smoking or alcohol related illnesses. The Department of Health and Social Care may be better placed to assist with your request for information about England, they can be contacted via the following link: DHSC FOI Contact Form. For Public Health Scotland, please use the following email: PHS.FOI@phs.scot, for Public Health Wales they can be contacted using the following email: foi.phw@wales.nhs.uk and for HSC Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, please use the link to their Contact form.