Mapped: The UK areas with the highest rates of teenage drinking – and Brighton leads by a worrying margin
- Brighton and Hove has taken the unwanted title of the UK’s teenage drinking capital, where 61.7 under-18s in every 100,000 people end up in hospital for alcohol-related reasons – almost 170% above the national average.
- Southern coastal towns and parts of the North East stand out as particular trouble spots.
- But, at the other end of the scale, Buckinghamshire didn’t record a single case, while Leicester and Newham have some of the lowest figures in the country – 83% and 82% below the national average, respectively.
Teen drinking may be on the decline, with Gen Z reportedly drinking far less than Millennials – yet some parts of the UK are still seeing worrying numbers. A new study reveals where.
Experts at addiction treatment provider Rehab Today have mapped out where in the UK teens are most likely to experience alcohol-related harm, uncovering striking regional divides. Southern coastal towns and parts of North East England stand out as particular hotspots.
The analysis looked at hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions among under-18s across every local authority.
Brighton and Hove tops the list with 61.7 alcohol-related hospitalisations per 100,000 under-18s – almost 170% above the national average. The city’s strong nightlife culture and easy access to alcohol may be exposing teenagers to drinking at younger ages.
Just behind, Southampton reports 61.5 cases per 100,000 young people, less than half a point lower than Brighton – a sign that high rates of underage drinking may be common along England’s south coast.
St Helens, in the North West, comes third with 60.5 hospital admissions per 100,000 under-18s – more than 160% higher than the national figure.
In the North East, North Tyneside reports 60.3 hospital admissions per 100,000 under-18s – about 1.6 times the national average. Just up the road, Northumberland isn’t far behind at 57.5, showing how widespread the problem has become across the region.
Bath and North East Somerset places sixth with 53.5 cases per 100,000 young people – more than 130% higher than average. Though best known for its student life and tourism, the data shows that alcohol use in the area is starting much earlier than university age.
County Durham takes seventh place with 49.7 hospital admissions per 100,000 under-18s, 116% above the national average and adding to the North East’s cluster of areas struggling with teenage alcohol misuse.
Next is Sunderland, with 49.3 hospital admissions per 100,000 under-18s – around 115% higher than average – while North Somerset follows with 48.4 cases per 100,000 young people.
Completing the top ten is New Forest, where 48.3 admissions per 100,000 teenagers were recorded, again pointing to the coastal communities most affected.
But teenage drinking is not a nationwide issue, the data shows.
Buckinghamshire recorded zero alcohol-specific hospital admissions among under-18s, making it the lowest in the country.
Leicester comes next, with just 3.8 admissions per 100,000 under-18s – around 83% lower than the national average – followed by Newham, East London, at four cases per 100,000 young people.
Derby is next, with 6.2 hospital admissions per 100,000 under-18s, almost three-quarters below average, while Croydon rounds out the bottom five at 6.3 cases per 100,000 young people.
“These figures really show how uneven the underage drinking problem is across the country,” says Perry Clayman, Managing Director and Founder of Rehab Today.
“Coastal towns and parts of the North – especially the North East – seem to be struggling the most, which could come down to social habits, how accessible alcohol is, or simply the local culture around drinking.
“When it comes to young people and alcohol, early support is everything. Once those patterns start, they can stick. That’s why it’s so important for schools, parents and communities to notice the warning signs early on.
“Things like mood changes, slipping grades or suddenly spending time with a new crowd can all be signs that something’s wrong. And because some areas are managing to keep rates low, there’s clearly something positive we can learn from their approach.”
 logo final copy.png)
- Mouth cancer: signs you must not ignore - 14th November 2025
- Global Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week - 14th November 2025
- New research uncovers how the microbiome helps fight melanoma - 14th November 2025
