Preventing Alcohol-Related Deaths

Minimum Unit Pricing

The SNP recognises the damaging impact alcohol misuse can have, not just on individuals, but the public services who respond to it.

In government, the SNP has been working hard to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol and reduce the harms caused.

In 2018, the Scottish Government introduced the world-leading policy of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol, setting the minimum cost of one unit of alcohol to 50 pence. The Scottish Parliament later agreed to continue the MUP legislation beyond 30 April 2024 and to raise the level it is set at to 65 pence per unit.  

The Government has reiterated its unwavering commitment to continue reducing alcohol harms, as the latest figures show the number of alcohol-specific deaths at a five-year low.

According to statistics released by National Records of Scotland (NRS), the number of alcohol-specific deaths fell by 7% to 1,185 in 2024. This is the lowest number of alcohol-specific deaths registered since 2019, and a decrease of 92 from 2023.

Research commended by internationally renowned public health experts has estimated that Minimum Unit Pricing policy has saved hundreds of lives and is likely to have averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions.

The SNP Government has also continued to work closely with local Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships (ADPs) and other stakeholders to provide targeted, person-centred support, backed by record levels of funding of around £160 million in 2025/26.

This is a public health priority and we are continuing to channel our energy towards reducing alcohol harm further. There is still a lot of work to be done to save and improve lives.