Right now, people are going without support due to last-minute funding, and a reduction in real terms investment. The human impact of this is felt in communities and families across the country.
Treatment Services: Ensure everyone can access support and treatment
We are campaigning for changes to the current system for treatment services, to improve support for everyone who needs it.
There are 608,416 adults in England dependent on alcohol (OHID, 2024). Until 2020/21, an estimated 82% of adults dependent on alcohol in England were not receiving the treatment they needed (OHID, 2025). Investment in drug and alcohol services since the ‘Harm to Hope’ strategy in 2021 has begun to have a positive impact, with increasing numbers accessing treatment. However, there are still an estimated 78% of adults with alcohol dependence whose need for treatment is not being met.
Local treatment services hold transformative power for people with drug or alcohol problems – and their families and communities.
The voluntary sector makes up 80% of treatment providers, with 9,667 treatment staff employed (NHS England, 2023). The voluntary sector’s independence means they are trusted by the people who need help the most and trust traditional services least – but this comes at a price.
This is why we are asking people to write to their MP to improve access to treatment services across the country.
Writing to your MP will help raise awareness of the issues faced by everyone who needs support with their consumption of alcohol.
What needs to change?
Through renewed investment, leadership, and population-level measures, there is a huge opportunity for change.
Treatment services can intervene to offer advice and support to people drinking at harmful levels before their consumption reaches dependency. Additionally, treatment for alcohol dependence can prevent other alcohol-related health conditions and harms from developing or worsening.
Alcohol Change UK is calling on the UK Government to:
1. Invest and expand treatment services to save lives by addressing rising alcohol deaths. Increasing public health grants to £1.4billion, which will restore funding back to 2015/16 levels, will improve access to high-quality, community-based alcohol treatment services.
2. Provide local authorities and treatment providers with three-year budget transparency. This will encourage local authorities to prioritise alcohol treatment services as a core responsibility. Stable, sustainable funding for community alcohol treatment and support services will allow them to always be accessible, especially for people of all identities and demographics.
3. Ensure the 20 areas receiving extra funding to cut waiting lists have strong Alcohol Care Teams (ACTs) in hospitals and Alcohol Assertive Outreach Teams (AAOTs) in the community. ACTs support patients during hospital stays, while AAOTs provide long-term help to high-risk individuals, reducing repeat admissions. Research shows AAOTs cut hospital stays by nearly two-thirds and emergency visits by three-fifths.
4. Include a specific focus on alcohol in Government’s plans to devolve health and work powers to regions, to maximise the impact of local support. This can reduce health harms while improving employment and productivity.
Write to your MP now
