THE number of people dependent on alcohol in York has risen in the last eight years, a report has revealed.

Information released by Public Health England shows that 174 more people in York are alcohol dependent than in 2010.

The data - collated and analysed by the addiction treatment company UKAT - said that the number has increased from 2,234 in 2010 to 2,408 in 2018.

The number of alcohol dependent people across North Yorkshire is also said to be on the rise - 5,286 people compared to 5,196 in 2010.

The figures reveal that an average of 10 in every thousand adults living in North Yorkshire is dependent on alcohol.

UKAT’s analysis of the report shows that only four councils across Yorkshire have seen marginal reductions in the number of people living with alcohol dependence in the last seven years.

The Press reported earlier this year that a report prepared for City of York Council said 30 per cent of residents drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week - higher than both the national and regional averages.

The city also has fewer teetotallers - just 8.1 per cent of residents abstain from alcohol compared to the regional average of 16.8 per cent and the national figure of 15.5 per cent.

Dr David Fair, of Jorvik Gillygate Practice, said: “It is well-established that the prevalence of alcohol problem drinking is directly correlated with household income.

“In other words, it seems that adults with social stresses tend to self-medicate with alcohol to cope with life’s difficulties, and people living in poverty, therefore, tend to drink more alcohol.

“In York, we are lucky in having a very well-organised and caring support service for alcohol problem drinkers, such as Changing Lives.

"I always find it strange how much burden is imposed on the NHS by the complications of acute and chronic alcohol misuse, and that the political parties have put the NHS high up in their manifesto commitments, but as far as I know none of the main parties has mentioned introducing a minimum unit alcohol price which has eased some of these problems in Scotland where minimum alcohol pricing was introduced earlier this year.”