(Bloomberg) -- The number of people drinking themselves to death in the UK rose to record levels in 2021 as alcohol use increased during the pandemic. 

A total of 9,641 died from alcohol-specific causes, according to the Office for National Statistics, a 7.4% increase on 2020 figures and 27.4% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Men were twice as likely to die than women, and the fatality rate was highest in the 50s-60s age group.

The figures underscore the toll taken by the pandemic on health and wellbeing. Many people hit the bottle to cope with the stress and isolation caused by more than a year spent largely in lockdown, leading to an increase in deaths from liver disease and mental health problems. 

“This rise is likely to be the result of increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic,” said said James Tucker, a statistician at the ONS. “Research has suggested that people who were already drinking at higher levels before the pandemic were the most likely to have increased their alcohol consumption during this period.” 

Scotland had the highest overall death rate, with 22.4 people per 100,000 dying from alcohol misuse. In England, the North East registered the highest rate for the eighth consecutive year, and saw a surge of almost 23% on 2019 levels. 

The figures mark a significant up-tick, not just from 2019 but compared to the previous decade too. Deaths caused by alcohol had remained relatively stable between 2012 and 2019. 

If consumption patterns persist, National Institute for Health Research analysis suggests there could be a vast increase in alcohol-related diseases and thousands of additional deaths. 

Poor physical and mental health is now having a serious economic impact in the UK, starving businesses of workers, driving up the cost of welfare and piling pressure on an already-stretched National Health Service. 

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.